At Risk
by WannabeDragronTamer88
Summary: Harper and Steve have decided: They're starting fresh. Steve's hoping for some peace and quiet, and Harper's striving for that "normal life" she's always wanted...Unfortunately both of them are going to learn the hard way that you don't always get what you want...but Life always seems to give you what you NEED...and maybe all you really need is each other. THREATS SEQUEL
1. Prologue

**At Long Last...**

 **(I've seen Avengers: AOU too many times, haha.)**

 **But seriously, At Long Last...**

 **The Threats Closer To Home Sequel!**

 **This chapter is literally the epilogue from Threats, but I thought it would be a good idea to make the Epilogue ALSO the prologue, since it's been so long since that story finished, and some of us might need a recap. (If you're golden, just skip to chapter two!)**

 **AHHHHH I'm excited! Let's do this!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

Steve shouldn't have come. But…

It had been three months.

Three months since he'd last seen Harper, since any of the Avengers, or team two had. Three months since he'd heard her voice, seen her face….

And he missed her. He was the one who'd told the others not to follow her, to find her, because that's what he thought she'd wanted.

Nonetheless he'd stopped by her graduation. She hadn't walked, though they'd said her name. She hadn't been there. But she'd done it. She'd received a high school diploma all on her own, despite everything.

He was so achingly proud. He missed her so much. So despite his rational mind that had told him not to come…he'd done so.

"Hi! What can I get you?"

Steve wasn't looking up when he reached the counter of the coffee shop. He instead kept his eyes to the right, where a framed picture of a newspaper article detailed an attempted robbery that had happened nearly nine months prior, and how a young teen, with the help of Captain America, had saved the day. A robbery that had occurred in that very coffee shop. Steve gave his order without looking, still eyeing the article; remembering that day. He sighed when he heard the "fan rage" take over,

"Oh my….GOD! Steve Rogers!"

Steve sighed as he turned to send the barista his media smile, but froze when he caught sight of the young woman standing in front of him.

Harper grinned at him cheekily as she continued. "Captain America! In MY coffee shop! I cannot BELIEVE it!" She fluttered her hands ironically.

Steve felt a smile overtake his face, and without his consent he started to tear up a bit. "Harper?" He croaked out, throat tight.

Harper smirked. "In the flesh."

Steve's lips trembled, and he beamed. "It is so GOOD to see you." He looked around. "I can't believe you're actually HERE."

Harper shrugged, smile still in place. "College is more expensive than I'd planned. After high school I thought it'd be a good idea to get a job. A real one. I walked in here on a whim. The manager saw me and offered me a job on the spot. Apparently I'm famous here."

Steve smirked. "I wonder why."

Harper snorted, handing him his usual coffee order. "Here. On the house." Steve smiled down at the coffee.

"The service here has improved at least," he joked, and Harper laughed.

"You can say that again."

Steve and Harper grinned at each other, and Steve had a sudden panicked realization that this was the part where he was supposed to take his drink and leave.

But he'd just found her, Harper was here, and in front of him, and he didn't want to leave, not yet, and-

"I get off in like ten minutes if you didn't mind waiting, maybe I could buy you a refill? We could catch up?" Harper asked tentatively, a nervous look on her face, and Steve sighed in relief.

"I don't mind waiting at all! I'll just sit…" Steve eyed an empty booth, then jerked his head in that direction. Harper nodded excitedly, and Steve moved out of the way, sliding into the booth with a light heart. Steve looked down at his watch and realized if he stayed he'd be late for his meeting. He found he didn't much care…given the choice, he chose Harper.

* * *

Those ten minutes gave him an opportunity to observe her. The last time he'd seen her she was dirty, clothes torn, but skin unblemished, eyes closed and chest rising peacefully as she laid on a cot in the med-bay. A blond haired medic that looked more like a kid had pushed him out of the room with a smirk and a vaguely familiar accent, promising Steve that he'd make her good as new.

Steve had reluctantly left to debrief and deal with team two, and the next thing he knew Harper was gone and he was telling everyone to leave her be.

But she was here. And she looked good. She glowed with life and vitality, eyes bright and smile genuine. There were small bags under her eyes, but she looked nowhere near exhausted, and Steve was relieved that her deep brown eyes showed no glimpse of violet.

Her shift ended and with a wave to her boss she was moving in Steve's direction with a smile. She slid into the other side of the booth, another cup of coffee in her hand.

Steve couldn't stop the smile that overcame his face.

"So….how's life?" Harper asked. "Everyone good?"

Steve nodded with a small laugh. "Everyone's great. Team Two is busy training and The Avengers are taking turns with teaching them and training themselves." Harper nodded as she listened. "How about you?"

Harper laughed. "The life of a barista is much more intense than I thought it'd be. Add into that college prep and my volunteer hours and I'm a lot busier than I thought I'd be."

"College?" Steve leaned forward. "How's that going then? Which school did you decide on?"

"NYU." Harper answered quickly. "Decided I didn't want to go too far, plus they offered a great scholarship package."

"Ah." Steve nodded. "So…you'll be living on campus then?" Steve pressed.

"Er, well, that's the plan." Harper hedged lightly.

"That sounds rather hesitant." Steve observed. "Housing issues?"

"Well," Harper shrugged. "My scholarship doesn't cover room and board, so I have to come up with that half on my own,"

"I see." And Steve did. And he couldn't help himself. He opened his mouth, but Harper was already shaking her head.

"We tried that before, remember?" Harper chastised, though there was a new light in her eyes.

"You didn't even know what I was going to offer." Steve pouted lightly.

"I'm not moving in with you." Harper guessed correctly, and Steve raised a brow.

"Why not?"

"that didn't work out the first time, and you're probably moved into the Tower, and I'd really rather not have a huge commute, and.."

Steve raised a hand. "I have not moved into stark tower, I haven't moved at all, actually, and I have the room, and I would absolutely love to have you, and we can figure out the commute thing, and the third time's the charm?"

Harper rolled her eyes. "it's only the second time!" Harper retorted smartly.

"Well," Steve hedged, "You have to have a second time before you get to the whole charmed third time."

"I guess you're right about that." Harper though it over.

"It wouldn't be exactly like before." Harper warned slowly. Steve inwardly screamed for joy, but nodded seriously.

"I understand."

"We're both different people, and I won't even be there very much, what with school and work and everything."

Steve nodded more. All that mattered was that it sounded like she was caving.

"I get that."

"I have to think about it."

"I know you do. After everything, I totally understand. But…I do miss you. And I am so sorry for everything that happened. I should've trusted you, called bullshit and never let you leave with them, come right after you, saved you, and I'm so sorry that I didn't…"

Harper raised a hand, silencing Steve.

"We can't go backwards. We can't change what happened," Harper spoke lowly, comfortingly. "But I hold nothing against you, or anyone. What happened happened, and we saved the day. We still have a lot of issues to deal with, and a conversation will need to take place at some point, whether I accept your offer or not. You have to know though," Harper reached forward and grabbed Steve's hand, and Steve gripped back comfortingly, "I don't blame you for anything. You were a great dad. I would be a hypocrite if I didn't give you, us, another chance. Worse than that, I would be stupid. And I'm done being stupid." Harper smiled softly and Steve returned the look, heart happy.

"Oh. Hey, Kid. I didn't know you worked today." A tall man dressed in a policeman's uniform approached their table, a smile for Harper and assessing look for Steve.

Harper sent the cop an easy grin. "I just got off. How are doing Detective Morris?"

Detective Morris' frowned at Harper and Steve's connected hands, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm doing just fine. Who's this?"

Steve sent Harper an odd look. Harper mouthed the word 'regular' and Steve nodded slowly.

Harper patted the cops arm reassuringly with her free hand. An odd look came over her face, then she smiled. "Detective Morris, this is my Dad, Stuart."

Steve shot Harper a surprised look, and Harper shrugged.

Steve accepted the surprised man's hand to shake, still watching Harper. She grinned, and winked.

* * *

This coffee shop was the best place in the world. Both time he'd entered its doors he'd been given a gift; the same one, actually, both times.

Someone to love.

A family.

More specifically?

Harper.

* * *

 **EEK! Harper's working at the same coffee shop where she first met Steve?! Cute.**

 **Chapter Two up in a mo!**

 **AUTHOR NEWS: I have a tumblr! My username is the same for both this site and tumblr (Heads up, my username has changed if you didn't notice), so hopefully I should be relatively easy to find. The blog itself is titled Ready. Aim. Write. It's pretty much just my opportunity to chat with you guys, and post fun little extras that have to do with the stories I write. ALSO: If you follow me there; you'll have the first look at other new stories, updates and chapter sneak peeks! If you read enough of my work, it might be advantageous to follow me on Tumblr. I just can't wait to interact with you all on a more personal level, so check me out! Wannabedragontamer88_tumblr_com (Replace the underscores with periods, copy and paste and you're golden!)**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite pretty please?**

 **LLAP (Live Long and Prosper)**

 **~CLC~**


	2. New

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

"Alright. Status Report."

Fury's arms were crossed, his expression was stern, and no one was inclined to speak first.

Finally, Tony sighed. "The kids are less than a month away from finishing their graduation requirements, we've for the most part gauged their specialties on an off-the-combat-field front, and the living arrangement seems to be fine. Is that everything?"

Fury frowned. "Is it?"

"Thor beats me." Avery spoke up helpfully. Thor growled.

"I do NOT-" Thor began, but was interrupted.

"The living arrangements are awful." David complained. "It's like a prison."

"The physical training is a joke." Will added. "There's no instruction, no critique. It's just a cage fight that ends in our loss and their win and all they do is gloat about how much better they are. I thought the point of living with the Avengers was that they were supposed to actually teach us something? Also, what about the missions?"

David scoffed. "You mean the missions we were promised but never given, the missions the avengers take on a nearly daily basis; but oh wait! The last time we asked about them, we were told our "Instructors" had to clear us before letting us take any, which that conversation was what, two months ago?"

"Instructors?" Avery sassed. "You mean jailers?"

"That's not exactly a fair assessment," Bruce began slowly, but Team two just rolled their eyes.

"Right. Whatever."

Silence descended over the room.

Steve smirked down at his phone screen before looking up to assess the room.

* * *

Team Two was dressed in workout clothes; sweatpants or shorts and tshirts or bro tanks. Jake the Tank wore a jacket; he didn't have the body mass to keep him warm the way Will and Avery did. David was the only one in Jeans…he complained that since he wore a suit…he didn't really have to work out…right? The Avengers wore civvies…Jeans and jackets, trousers and a button-up for Bruce, and Tasha and Clint wore their Shield uniforms. Fury stood in the middle of the conference room, the Avengers seated and standing sporadically on one side of the table, Team Two all standing against the far wall.

Yep. The teamwork was tangible in the room. And Steve was unfortunately aware that it was as bad as it looked.

Tony and Thor had bonded over their mutual dislike of Team Two. Clint found them to be great partners in crime, but when push came to shove, he usually sided with Tasha; who thought Team Two shouldn't touch anything heavier than a food recipe. Bruce tried playing the middle field, and he often found himself nodding in sympathy whenever any grievances were aired from both sides, but playing Switzerland wasn't as easy as it sounded. It was very obviously, up to Steve to fix it.

Which he knew he was quite incapable of doing so…but until he found a way to get Harper to reveal herself, "Steve-power" would have to do.

* * *

Steve shrugged. "Alright then." He looked to Will, Team Two's designated leader. "How do we fix it?"

Jake frowned. He stood upright, so he was no longer using the wall as support. "You agree with our assessment of the situation, then?" He pressed slowly.

Steve tilted his head. "It doesn't matter if I agree or not." He answered simply. It's not my program. It's yours; to do with and change as benefits you." Will and David shared a look of surprise. "If you say it's not up to par; then let's fix it." Steve concluded. He moved away from the other Avengers to stand next to Fury.

Clint nodded his head. "I agree with Rogers." He added quickly. Clint wasn't always the first to jump out of the boat, but he always followed quickly behind, and he almost always picked the winning side. Steve shot Clint a grin, which he returned. Clint moved to stand next to Steve. "So, young ones," Clint asked brightly. "What can we do? Help us-Help you!"

Will despite himself, smiled slightly.

Scott sighed heavily. For such a fun and bright hacker; he was silent most of the time. "If only Harper were here." He said mournfully.

That sobered the room. Four months and not a word, and everyone was feeling the tension; Team Two more than the others. They hadn't even got to speak to her before everything went to poop-town.

Steve winced internally, but outwardly, he put on a sympathetic face. "What do you mean?" He was so going to hell.

Scott sat up with a grin. "Harper's the best teacher ever!" He brightened.

Will smiled despite himself. "She taught us everything we know."

David grinned. "Literally!"

"Except for the fact that she's evil." Avery grunted.

The Avengers shot Avery a serious look, and he sat up, surprised.

"I uh, I didn't mean it like that!" He backtracked, "I just meant that she's a hard taskmaster, you know?"

Jake smiled softly. "When we first were picked up by IAS, it was Harper that greeted us, that showed us around, that taught us anything and everything we needed to know. It seemed only natural that she be the one to teach us how to fight."

"We knew street moves." Will added with a nod. "Enough to get by on the streets. But when it came down to it, we had a lot to learn. She taught us what we needed to know."

Avery sighed. "I wish she were here."

"Me too." Scott agreed mournfully.

Steve turned away, thinking.

* * *

"No."

"Come on, Kiddo, it's not like we're asking you to be a superhero with us."

"You just want me to train them." Harper threw a piece of spaghetti and Steve, which he dodged.

"Which wouldn't be new to you." Steve ignored the noodle to plead with his eyes. "C'mon, kid, they miss you." Steve straightened. "Plus, I think you're bored."

Harper tilted her head, eyes narrowed. "What do you mean bored? My volunteer project has turned into a city wide relief program, I work 30 hours a week minimum, and I start school in two days. When do I have time to be bored?" Which was all very valid…but both Steve and Harper were aware that it wasn't Steve she was trying to convince.

Steve shrugged, digging into the pasta he'd made earlier. "You can be bored with your busy life, if all of the things you're doing aren't fun to you."

Harper rolled her eyes. "I'm not bored. This is what I wanted. A normal life. I can live precariously through you easily enough." Harper took a bite of pasta, sitting across from Steve at their kitchen table, and shrugged. "Besides; I can't really keep up with you guys anyway."

Steve frowned. "What do you mean?"

Harper grimaced. "You guys all have these super cool abilities, and I'm over here, all normal. I don't really have anything to offer the team anyway."

Steve's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? What do you mean normal?"

Harper threw her fork onto the table. "You know what I mean! I'm no genius, I can't fly, and I'm not strong, or tall, or super at anything really! I'm just normal." Harper looked away for a second, then she smiled. "And honestly, I'm okay with that. I'll leave the saving of the world to the supers."

Steve ran a hand over his face. This wasn't….right. "Harper…..what do you remember about the battle?"

Harper made a face at the change in subject. "Well….Shield kidnapped me and forced me aboard their helicarrier and then I ran into you and I found out IAS was attacking you guys, and I spilled my whole story, and then IAS literally attacked, and I lied to you to protect you and went off with IAS and then they shot me and healed me and then I passed out…and then I woke up at Shield HQ and we won! Yay!" Harper waved her hands excitedly. She smirked. Then she frowned. "Why?" That's what happened, isn't it?"

Steve bit his lip.

* * *

He'd resigned himself to never seeing Harper again, of letting her live her normal life. But because she'd chosen to be normal, to not use her abilities. But she was here, and alive, and living with him again, and Steve was ecstatic that the kid he adopted was under his care again, that he could've dealt with anything….more aliens, more psycho-genius' trying to take him out…literally anything.

But this? Harper not remembering she was the most powerful (probably) being on the entire planet/realm?

What was he supposed to do with that?

Then he remembered how Harper had fought to be normal, to go to school, to have a regular job, to live separate from the craziness of Shield and the Avengers, and he couldn't tell her. Not yet.

* * *

"Yeah." Steve smiled, though it was more of a grimace. "That's what happened."

He would tell her….later.

He only hoped he wouldn't regret keeping this secret from her.

"But seriously….Team Two needs some serious training work. You don't have to be a superhero, but you worked with them before. Why can't you do it again?"

Harper tilted her head, thinking it over, and Steve smiled. She was caving.

"At least think about it." He pressed his advantage gently.

Harper sighed. "Okay. I'll think about it. Keep me posted on their progress?" Steve nodded. "And let me know if they need me, but only if they REALLY need me, got it?"

Steve smiled. "They already do."

* * *

 **Chapters three and four will be up next Wednesday!**

 **REMINDER: If you're following my blog; Ready. Aim. Write., You may or may not see some extra content, (such as a "What have the avengers been up to since they last saw Charlie previously list,) and fun stuff later on down the road. You'll also get first looks at new chapters, stories, and more. It's the best way to keep up with me and my crazy brain! I have the same username on tumblr as I do here! Hope to see you there!**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite, maybe?**

 **LLAP, (Live Long and Prosper,)**

 **~CLC~**


	3. Life

**Yay! Chapter Three!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations**

* * *

"So what's on the schedule for today?"

Harper checked her schedule. "I gotta stop by the college, pick up my books, then lunch, then you're dropping me off at work, and going off to do whatever it is…you do."

Steve nodded. "I'll probably go check on Team Two, then pick you up from work."

"My boys!" Harper grinned. "How are my boys?"

Steve smirked. "Your boys?"

"Yes." Harper retorted. "MY boys. How are they doing?"

"Why don't you call them up and ask them?" Steve retorted, but Harper made a face.

She pointed to the ceiling of the car Steve drove and she sat shotgun in. "Me." Then she held her hand palm down in front of her face. "Normal." She labeled. Then she pointed to the floor. "Them. I want to reach the normal line….but merely having you for a parental puts me above it. Checking in with them would put me so beyond normal that I would never recover."

"Right, you and your quest for normal, so viciously ripped out of your hands by people who care about you." Steve joked.

Harper rolled her eyes. "Shut up. You know why I can't ask them, so just tell me: how are they?"

Steve made a face, and Harper laughed. "That bad?"

"Worse." Steve answered honestly. "And while I kid, they really are in need of a trainer who understands them. Don't you think you could just…"

"No."

"But just once…" Steve pressed, and Harper shook her head.

"Not even once, Dad, and I'll tell you why." She turned to face him better. "Because _just once_ would turn into _just a follow up_ which would turn into once a month _wouldn't hurt_ , to twice a month, to once a week, to every day, and then I'm the _famous_ Avengers trainer and I'll never live it down. So….No. Not even once."

Steve shrugged. "Alright. I get it. I won't push it."

"Good." Harper relaxed back in her seat. "I wouldn't want to add even more rules."

Steve's hands clenched on the steering wheel.

"No!" He whined. "No more rules…please!"

Harper shrugged. "Too late."

Steve made a face, then sighed. "Fine. We can do rules again."

"Will you even follow them?" Harper crossed her arms.

Steve shrugged. "Probably not."

Harper narrowed her eyes and Steve sighed heavily. "FINE. I'll try."

"Harder than you did last time, right?"

Steve made a face. "Yes."

"Good. Can I tell you the rules now?"

Steve grimaced. "I guess."

"Rule one….You are nice to any and all boys that I bring home; regardless of if they're a romantic interest or not."

Steve groaned. "I was hoping that one wouldn't be a repeat."

Harper smiled smugly. "It is."

"The main job of a father is to terrify anyone who might want to date you. That part's literally in my JOB DESCRIPTION." Steve reasoned.

Harper shook her head. Then she shrugged. "Okay fine. How about this: you have to not use any excessive force not available to normal adult men."

Steve thought that through. Then he nodded. "Okay…deal. Rule two…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Harper raised a hand. "This isn't a democracy, you don't get rules."

"I did last time!" He complained. Harper shook her head resolutely.

"And look at what happened. You didn't follow any of the rules…even your own!" Steve pouted.

"But this is a good rule. And we're starting over; clean slate, right? It means you can't hold my past transgressions against me."

Harper made a face. "I'm not Jesus, Steve."

Steve grinned.

"But you do make a good point. If we're gonna clean slate this…we really HAVE to clean slate this." She pointed to the right. "Pull over for a second."

Steve frowned, but did as she asked. She turned in her seat to face him fully, and he did the same.

"I'm sorry I lied to you." She apologized. Steve opened his mouth, shocked. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you enough to divulge my past fully. I'm sorry when push came to shove that I left you behind….I'm sorry that I said things that hurt you, and I said them on purpose."

"No." Steve finally choked out. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I turned on you so quickly, that I promised you I'd follow the rules and then didn't. I'm sorry that you felt you couldn't tell me everything, I'm sorry I broke your trust. I'm sorry I didn't come to rescue you right away. I'm sorry I didn't get there in time."

Steve huffed once he was finished. Harper shrugged, smiling. "I forgive you."

"I forgive you." Steve repeated softly.

"There." Harper turned in her seat. "Now we can move forward."

Steve nodded. "Aright then." He put the car back in drive and pulled into traffic once more.

"I don't know what you're sorry about though," Harper chuckled. "You DID get there in time. You got me before anything bad happened... Right?"

Steve's hands tightened on the wheel.

"Right." He bit out tightly.

They drove in silence until Harper poked Steve in the side. "Hey!" He complained.

"What's rule 2?" She prompted, smiling.

"Oh!" Steve's face cleared. "Rule two…"

Once they reached Harper's school, Steve and his daughter had ten agreed upon rules that each would follow (or attempt to this time.)

excessive force used on boys. (only those found standard in the average dad models.)

are allowed, and are not to be considered loans or debts. They are FREE, to KEEP.

Rule still applies

4\. Once a week there must be required STEVE/HARPER ONLY time.

5\. Harper is not to be EXCESSIVELY talked about to co-workers/bosses/secret government organizations/etc., but doesn't need to be kept a secret.

6\. Steve is allowed to be an active part of Harper's life and is not to be hidden/secret.

7\. Harper can take care of herself.

8\. BUT still Harper needs to check in and keep Steve posted on her schedule...just in case.

9\. The same is to be said for Steve.

10\. Every Sunday the both of them are to attend church together...no exceptions.

* * *

Steve's chest heaved as he jumped back into his car, slamming his door shut and locking it quickly.

"Let's never do that again." He rushed out.

"Do what?" Harper grinned, taking her time to enter the vehicle, perfectly composed.

"I'm never coming back to this place." Harper rolled her eyes and closed her door. "Did you see all those….youths?" He squeaked on the last word.

Harper furrowed her brow. "Father…they're probably closer to your age than they are to mine. And there weren't even that many. There'll be four times that amount when school actually STARTS in a week."

Steve shook his head quickly. "Nope. Never coming back." He rubbed his chest. "That place made my post-traumatic act up."

Harper laughed. "You…are a riot, old man."

Steve frowned. "And you are so insensitive to my mental status."

She shrugged. "You want me around…proof you're crazy. How much crazier can you get?"

Steve smiled. "True."

"C'mon." Harper patted his shoulder. "I'm hungry."

* * *

"Hi! What can I get for you?" Harper asked on auto-pilot behind the cash register at her work.

"My usual. Why so impersonal?" Detective Morris' dry voice asked. Harper looked up and smiled ruefully.

"Oh! Hey Detective. Sorry, when I get in barista mode; it just comes out." Harper sent Detective Morris a grin. Morris shrugged.

"I get it. You seem happier than usual. What's up with that?"

Harper shrugged. "My dad and I were estranged for a while. We recently reconnected, and I moved back in."

Morris frowned. "Why were you estranged?"

Harper squinted. Morris was oddly inquisitive today. "He didn't agree with my goals. I didn't agree with his choice in job." Harper shrugged. "That's the short version anyway. How are you?" Harper slid Morris' cup towards him. He winced.

"I'm getting an award." He answered despondently.

Harper's eyebrows furrowed. "And that's…bad?"

"I'm just not sure if I deserve it." He admitted, slowly picking up his cup.

"What's it for?" Harper asked after making sure there was no one behind him in line.

"The number of homeless on the blocks I patrol has gone down by 26%."

Harper tilted her head. "And you had nothing to do with it?"

"Exactly!" Morris slowly reached for a straw. "They just…disappeared. I think something weird is going on."

Harper nodded. "Well, trust your gut, I always say. You'll figure it out."

Morris nodded. Then he sent Harper a searching look. "Your dad….he treats you well, then?"

Harper paused at the random question, then nodded slowly. "Yeah." She started smiling. "He really does."

Morris looked conflicted about something, then he nodded, a tight smile on his face. "Good. I'm glad you have him."

Harper's smile widened. "Yeah. I'm glad I have him too."

* * *

"Steve! How are you doing?" Bruce was the first to notice when Steve entered the tower.

Steve shook Bruce's hand.

"I'm fantastic. How are things here?"

Bruce winced. Then he jerked his head toward the training room. "You might want to ask Tony that question."

Steve narrowed his eyes. "Bad?"

Bruce shrugged. "Not good, that's for sure.

Steve sighed. "Great."

"Oh! Thor's here, by the way." Bruce input.

Steve smiled at the piece of good news. "And how is he?"

Bruce winced again. "I would ask him."

Steve made a face. "Not a good day for most, then?"

Bruce just shrugged. "Not really. Maybe you could help turn it around?"

Steve raised an eyebrow as the training room door slammed open, and team two stormed out, all yelling.

It was Avery that caught sight of Steve first. "Captain! I hate to be the bearer of bad news," He spit out, the bangs of his blond hair plastered to his face, his blue eyes furious,

"But we quit!" David, soaked to the skin and flushed red in anger blurt out.

"We're going back to being evil!" Jake shot a deadly glare to the door behind him. "You think Loki wants to try again?"

"Because we'll be more than happy to help him!" Will added. He and Jake weren't wet, but they looked just as furious, and Will had a black eye that was turning a deep purple, very quickly. Steve assessed the situation, and turned to Avery.

"If you go back to the dark side," He confessed, "Then I'm going with you."

Avery stared at Steve for a moment, then he snorted.

"And do you really think I would cut it as a villain?" Steve smirked, reaching for the towels Bruce had run for. He handed one to Avery, who shook his head.

"No, probably not." He confessed, rubbing his hair furiously.

"The real villians would eat you alive." David chortled, grabbing for his own towel. Steve turned to Will with a shrug.

"You guys are probably right. It just means you'll have to stick around." Steve gingerly poked Will's black eye, and he winced.

"Cap…there's not much more of this we can take." Jake confessed, breathing heavily. Bruce squeezed his shoulder, and Jake sent the man a smile.

"Tell me what just happened." Steve ordered, and as the story slipped out, Steve's eyes began to narrow. He shot Bruce a look, but the man had looked equally disheartened.

"Go clean up. Find Scott, go down to the rec room, take a breather. I'll be down in a sec." The young men nodded, slightly afraid of what the gleam in Steve's eye meant, and when they turned the corner, Steve turned to Bruce with a huff.

"You're good with them." Bruce admitted easily.

"Harper's twice as hard to deal with." Steve shrugged. "These boys are teenagers…but they're also boys."

"A gender advantage." Bruce nodded. "So…now what?"

Steve grimaced. "Now we deal with the biggest children of them all."

* * *

When the door to the training room slammed open, Clint was the only one who turned to look. When he saw the look in Steve's eyes, Clint made a gesture of surrender…then flew to the rafters.

Tony, Thor and Tasha laughed, oblivious to the tornado that was headed their way…at least until Steve was a few feet behind them, arms crossed and eyes narrowed dangerously.

"If I didn't know any better," Steve spoke lowly, "I would think that the group I just sent downstairs were the adults, and the group I'm looking at right now are the children.

Tony turned around, still chuckling. "Aw, come on Cap, it was just a joke." Tony inhaled slowly as Steve stepped toe to toe with him. It'd been a long time since they'd stood in this stance, and Tony was woefully unprepared.

"Those boys aren't here for your amusement." Steve's eyes sparked. "They're here because they want to do the right thing, and they want to help. They trust us to teach them, and you just broke that trust."

"Cap…A Team Two isn't necessary." Tasha pursed her lips. "They're just wasting OUR time. Any issue that arises we'll be able to handle. The sooner Fury realizes that they're just a nuisance, the sooner we can get back to our own training."

"Did it ever occur to you that they could be teaching us a thing or two?" Tasha snorted, and Steve continued. "Did it ever cross your mind that there may come a time where we either can't or won't be able to save the day?"

"That day won't come." Tony shook his head.

"According to you." Steve snapped smartly. "But life so seldom does what we want. If there ever comes a day where we face a force that we can't take ourselves, and we haven't used the time in between to prepare for that eventuality, well then, whose at fault then?" Tasha went silent.

"We're not supposed to be showing them up or making them feel less." Steve turned to Tony. "We're supposed to preparing them to; yes, eventually take our place, but for the moment to have our backs! And if you treat them with so little respect, and do not deign to teach them at all; then not only will they know how to have your back but they won't even want to…and if you continue the way you're going, they might once more be on the other side!" Steve spat.

"You all need to grow up. You have an opportunity here to invest in something bigger than the here and now; you have a chance to invest in the future…because when we're gone, THOSE KIDS will still be here. And whatever we show them now, is what they'll show others."

Steve turned to Thor. "And I don't care if those kids disrespect you; I don't care if one of them calls you the alien rat bastard from Hell, you do NOT" Steve went toe to toe with a red-faced Thor, his eyes intent, "EVER lay a hand on them the way you did with Will."

"That **was** uncalled for, man." Tony agreed softly. Thor hissed, but then he took a step back and nodded.

"In a room of teenagers, it was we who acted immaturely." He agreed lowly.

"Those kids are this close to walking away, which I know is for some reason your end goal." Steve shook his head.

"But if they walk away…."

"Then so do I." The Avengers as a whole, barring Bruce who'd heard this minutes before, shot him looks of stunned surprise.

"You're not serious?" Clint hopped down from the rafters.

Steve didn't have to say anything, the look on his face was so solemn.

"I don't like bullies," was all he said. "And I refuse to work with some."

He turned back before he left the training room. "I'm taking the kids out. They'll be back late," He threw over his shoulder. "I'd suggest you either apologize or keep your distance for awhile. I'll be back in three days." He shot Thor a grimace. "And Thor? Pleasure to see you again." Steve rolled his eyes and then slammed the door behind him.

* * *

 **So we're walking right into the middle of a time bomb...Steve's personal life is going great and Harper is AMAZE-BALLS, but The Avengers aren't as happy with Team two as they'd let on previously, and we're seeing the end results of that. It's very obvious that Harper is necessary to helping them out, but at this point she's refusing all contact with them.**

 **Luckily Steve is sneaky, and has a plan up his sleeve!**

 **Also, Harper is doing well in work and school, and has even made some friends! Morris is creepily interested in her life...but he's a detective...he can't be a bad guy right?! (Don't worry, he's here to further plot, that's all...although that doesn't really tell you if he's a bad guy or not...Keep reading to find out!)**

 **Heads up, I DO have a tumblr! It's under the same username that I use on here, so it should be relatively easy to find, and It's a great place to see story extras and sneak peeks and such! I usually post At Risk stuff on Saturdays! Check me out there!**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **As Always, much love, and LLAP (Live Long and Prosper!)**

 **~CLC~**


	4. Family

**Chapter four!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

"Ugh what is WRONG with them?!" Steve slammed his head against a brick wall, and Harper winced in sympathy.

"Midlife crisis?" Harper guessed with a shrug.

Steve's eyes widened. "That's exactly it!" He groaned. "They're all of a sudden asked to train up these new younger versions of themselves; and not only are they feeling like they're being replaced, but they're feeling their age!"

"Probably Tony especially." Harper brought up. "You think he'd be ecstatic about sharing the load though, especially with the mini stark being cooked right now."

"And he's getting married." Steve added.

Harper turned to Steve, mouth open in shock, and Steve threw out a hand.

"Kid! Don't point that thing at me, it's loaded!"

Harper rolled her eyes, but lowered the gun in her hand. "The safety is on, butt trumpet, calm down." Steve furrowed his brow, pulling the gun gently out of her hand. "Plus, who even goes to a gun range for "Family bonding?"

"Normal people that's who." Steve checked the gun over. "It's the new thing: I know you missed a few things, doing time as a minion to an evil overlord,"

"WANNABE evil overlord, get the facts straight." Harper rolled her eyes.

Steve grinned. "Right, wannabe evil overlord." He turned towards the target, raising the gun. He fired a few shots, lowered the weapon, and grinned.

Harper crossed her arms and sniffed. "Wow, Captain America's a crack shot; who would've guessed."

"Anyway, as I was saying," Steve handed the weapon over and watched closely as Harper reloaded, "It's totally the new thing. Church, then the shooting range. Obviously."

Harper smirked. "Then why is this place empty?" Steve looked around at the building, brows raised as he examined the range.

"Oh yeah….I own this place."

Harper narrowed her eyes. Steve noticed that her weapon was directed downwards and the safety was on. Good.

"You do NOT own this place." She argued.

Steve shrugged. "I also own a gym." He added, "If that helps.

Harper grunted and raised her weapon. Without looking she fired several times. Steve opened his mouth to chastise her, but then he caught sight of her target.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who's a crack shot." He mentioned, impressed.

Harper curtsied. "I know, I'm amazing." She grinned. "Can we go now? I'm STARVING."

Steve sighed. "I suppose my work here is done." He began tearing down their set up, and humming, Harper helped. Soon enough the duo was ready to leave, and Steve wrapped an arm around his daughter as the two exited the building and began walking the short six blocks to where Harper's favorite diner was.

* * *

"So, back to Tony getting MARRIED." Harper crinkled her nose. "Is that a real thing then?"

Steve nodded. "Couple days after the last battle, and he popped the question. Pepper wants to get married before the baby's born; so"

"She's planning a wedding with pregnancy brain?" Harper started laughing. "Poor Tony."

"Poor Tony, psh!" Steve scoffed. "He deserves all the hurdles Pep's making him jump through."

Harper looked up. "Do I sense discord between you two?"

Steve grimaced. "Well it all goes back to what went down last night." He explained.

"Ah yes, the adults acting like children and the children getting butt hurt about it."

"Team Two has put up with a lot of crap," Steve tried to reason, but Harper shook her head.

"I trained them to not be wimps about things. If they expected the Avengers to just accept them, then they're living in crazy land and they need to chill out." Harper argued bluntly.

"Wow." Steve nodded. "Harsh."

Harper grinned. "That's my M.O. Pops, don't act so surprised."

"Yeah, you're a cold-hearted criminal." Steve agreed dryly as the finally reached the diner. He held the door open for Harper and smothered a smile when Harper saw a familiar face seated in a booth.

Harper squealed, and ran forward, pulling the man into a giant hug.

Steve smiled warmly. "Coulson." He greeted.

Coulson gripped Harper tightly. "Captain." He spoke over Harper's head.

Harper pulled away from Coulson only to punch him extremely hard…in the stomach.

Coulson keeled over, and Harper plopped her hands on her hips.

"You punk! How are you even alive?" She retorted.

Coulson grinned. "It's a long story."

Harper slid into the booth and folded her hands primly on top of the table.

"I'm listening."

Steve and Coulson shared a grin, then sat down as well.

"You first." Coulson prodded. So Harper rolled her eyes and told her version of the last few years. Then, when she finished, it was Coulson's turn.

* * *

Harper narrowed her eyes at Coulson, who'd just finished his story and was now waiting patiently for her reaction.

"I can't believe you're off saving the world, and you don't even think to tell me that you're still kicking."

Coulson shrugged. "I thought you could do with a few years of without spies and bad guys and super heroes."

Harper snorted and sent Steve a look. Coulson frowned. "That isn't what happened?"

"Try I became THE evil genius and accidentally created an entire genetically accurate junior avengers on for size."

Coulson's eyes widened, and he choked. "What?"

Harper nodded.

"That was you?" Coulson turned to Steve and he shrugged.

"Wow." Coulson shook his head. "So that definitely didn't go the way it was supposed to."

"I kinda guessed that when I showed up to surprise you and Fury had to instead inform me you were dead." Harper brought up dryly.

Coulson placed a hand over his heart. "You came up to surprise me?"

Harper nodded. "I missed my cello recital and everything."

Steve snorted. "SHE was the cello player?!" He connected the dots, and Coulson grinned.

"I had to explain my abrupt departures to Portland SOMEHOW." He shrugged.

Steve shook his head. "I can't believe this."

"I can't believe THIS!" Harper gestured to Coulson. "And I'm a little butt hurt that you don't tell me you're alive, and its been over four YEARS."

Coulson winced. "I thought you were in good hands."

Harper snorted. "Not for a while there. But now?" Harper sent Steve a smile. "I'm in good hands now." She turned back to Coulson.

"I switched to Allstate."

"Hey!" Steve nudged Harper lightly, and she laughed.

"Sorry Dad, saw the opportunity, and had to take it." Her phone went off and she read her screen with a wince. "The coffee shop needs me to come down and pick something up, I gotta run over there." She looked to Steve. "I'll be back in ten minutes?" Steve sighed, but then nodded, and stood so she could leave. Harper grinned, waited until Steve sat back down, then kissed his forehead and rushed off.

The second the door to the diner closed behind Harper, Coulson turned serious eyes towards Steve.

"Alright. Tell me the real story."

And so Steve took his turn.

* * *

"And she doesn't remember that part?" Coulson asked, shocked.

Steve shook his head. "She doesn't remember any part of being injected, going feral, and taking out all those guys. And she shows no symptoms; no eye change, no unexplainable strength or speed or,"

"Thor's hammer showing up out of nowhere?" Coulson asked dryly.

Steve smirked, but shook his head. "None of that. She's normal."

Coulson nodded slowly. "And that's what she's always wanted, so who are you to burst her bubble?" Coulson shrugged. "I get it."

"So…I don't tell her?" Steve clarified.

Coulson thought for a moment. Then he nodded. "Don't tell her."

"Y'all are keeping secrets and I don't like it." Steve stood as Harper suddenly appeared. She shook her head sadly. "Secrets are bad."

"But sometimes necessary." Coulson added, and Harper grimaced, then nodded.

"True. Anyway, Dad, you remember Morris?" Steve nodded and shook the detective's hand, who greeted Steve warmly. Harper turned to Coulson and explained. "Detective Morris is a regular at the coffee shop I work at, and he said something about craving pie. I thought he could join us." She turned to Morris.

"This is Phil Coulson, my…" Harper narrowed her eyes. "Other…." She grimaced. "…Dad?"

Morris frowned and then widened as he turned to Steve.

"Not like that!" Steve hastened to explain.

"I just have a lot of men in my life that are father figures." Harper explained. She grinned. "I have a lot of dads."

Morris narrowed his eyes.

"That you do, kid. That you do." Steve slid into the booth so Morris could sit next to him, and Harper sat across from him. Once everyone was seated, Harper beamed.

"Alright!" She crowed, clapping her hands.

"Bring on the pie!"

* * *

 **Shorter chapter, but lots of important things! COULSON! More Morris (Any idea on who he could be?) (I'm pretty sure he's a bad guy...but who knows?)**

 **CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TEAMS! HARPER...WHY YOU NO SEE THEY NEED YOU?!**

 **Did I mention that Steve has a plan? Well he does... Heheheh.**

 **Next two chapters up next Wednesday! (P.S. Hit me up on my tumblr to chat with me in between!)**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **LLAP, (Live Long and Prosper!)**

 **~CLC~**


	5. Mission

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations**

* * *

"Fury, we need to talk."

"Don't tell me you're breaking up with me."

Steve made a face, and Fury chuckled. He let the file he'd been reading land onto his desk with a small plop, and settled into his large office chair. "Alright, I'm in serious mode now." Fury straightened the expression on his face, and gestured with one hand to the seat across from him. Steve rolled his eyes and sat.

"Level with me." Fury said simply, and Steve sighed.

"Team two." Steve began, and Fury groaned, leaning forward.

"I've just had a long conversation with Tony about this very topic," He warned. "I'm not mentally prepared to deal with the same argument so soon after the last one."

Steve narrowed his eyes. "What was Tony arguing?" Steve asked, interested.

"That the Team Two initiative be dissolved, or at least handed over to a different group of instructors." Fury rolled his eye. "To put it simply."

"Let me guess." Steve joked. "Tony's argument was longer."

"And louder." Fury agreed. "So. You hear to say the same thing?"

"Not exactly." Steve ran a hand through his hair. "I still believe a Team Two is a good idea. I understand the need for a second response team and a back-up. I also agree with the opportunity that the Avengers have to share their talent and experiences and also learn how to be mentors."

Fury nodded. "So far, we're on the same page."

"But," Steve hesitated and Fury braced himself, "the Avengers simply don't know how to BE teachers, and they don't see how a team two can be helpful. All they're feeling right now is that they're being replaced, and they're lashing out at what they think is the root of all their troubles."

"Which in turn is alienating Team two from them and thusly from Shield." Fury nodded. "Still on the same page. But how do we fix it?"

Steve sighed. "The Avengers need someone to learn from." He admitted. "A teacher that they respect enough to learn from; not only on how to teach, but also on how to share, and how to delegate. Ideally a teacher that Team Two also respects and would be willing to learn from."

"And you're out of the question?" Fury asked ruefully. Steve snorted and nodded.

"I'm the enemy." He added regretfully. Fury grimaced.

"That's what I was worried about." Fury stood and began to pace. "So what we really need is someone both groups respect to not only bring out the best of everyone involved, but also to teach the Avengers how to teach and Team Two how to learn." Fury chuckled. "So basically we need Harper."

Steve laughed. "Pretty much." He agreed.

"But Harper's in the wind." Fury turned slowly. "Or is she?" He asked pointedly.

"You only have one eye." Steve complained. "How is it that you see EVERYTHING?"

Fury shrugged. "I have my ways. So is Harper considerably less in the wind as I first assumed?" He asked.

"Harper is fine." Steve answered after a few minutes. "She's been located, but she's not at this time willing to intervene."

Fury grimaced.

"But…" Steve continued slowly, "I do have another idea…"

Fury faced Steve consideringly, head tilted. He sat back down in his chair.

"I'm at my end." Fury admitted. "So. What do you got?"

Steve smiled, eyes gleaming.

"This is the plan…"

* * *

"Team Two: I have a mission for you." Fury marched into the living room of Stark Tower a few days later, a file held in his hands. His words had everyone sitting up.

"Us?" Will asked confused.

"Them?" Tasha asked disbelievingly.

"We haven't cleared them for solo missions," Thor began,

"The punks are definitely not ready," Tony added,

"Excuse you, who are you to say we're not ready," David argued.

"Maybe your boss," Tony rolled his eyes.

"And I'm YOUR boss," Fury interrupted. "And I say Team Two has a mission." Fury raised a brow. "You're more than welcome to come with and keep an eye on them, but you're not to go active." He turned to the five teens sprawled on the couch. "This is your mission." He spoke lowly, and the team straightened.

The Avengers moved to stand behind the couch, eyes narrowed and arms crossed, saying nothing, but listening intently. Their disapproval was palpable. Team Two's excitement was tangible.

And Steve, still sitting at the breakfast bar, watched with a smirk, one hand curled around a coffee cup and the other gripping a cell phone.

* * *

His plan so far was going swimmingly.

It was a simple retrieval case. Had the mission not been tampered with in order to achieve specific results, Team Two would've been extremely successful at completing their task.

Unfortunately, it HAD been tampered with, and Steve, seated comfortably on the jet the Avengers observed from; 50 feet above the site Team Two had just successfully infiltrated, watched as his plan continued to go exactly accordingly to plan.

It was perfect.

But the other Avengers, watching with horror as the alarm that Team Two had "supposedly" severed went off disagreed.

It was a disaster.

And the Avengers refused to sit around and watch. Quickly enough they disregarded Fury's orders to remain inactive and jumped from the jet.

Steve stayed where he was and grinned.

His opinion had not changed…

His plan was going perfectly.

* * *

His plan had gone TOO perfectly. Steve stood in the corner of the conference room, not at all begrudging Fury the difficulty of standing between Team Two and the Avengers.

"What were you thinking!" Thor roared at Fury. "These children were no more prepared for that task than they would be to take their SATs!"

"First of all; True!" Avery jumped up and yelled. "Second of all; how do you even know what SATs ARE?"

"That's not even the question!" Will jumped in. "The real question is; why did you go active when Fury expressly told you to stand DOWN!"

"How about because you guys were failing, and horribly?" Tony snapped. "We saved your asses!"

"Language!" Steve snapped. "And they would've been just fine without our interference, in fact, we made everything worse!"

"We maybe kind of did!" Bruce yelled. "But what's done is done, and we just need to move past this,"

"Move past this? It was on the news!" Jacob joined in angrily. "EVERYONE saw US fighting EACH OTHER!"

"How are the public going to trust us to save them when we're too busy fighting EACH OTHER?" David added.

"Easy!" Tasha jumped in. "We eliminate Team two,"

"Eliminate!" Will threw his hands up. "So what you're going to kill us?!"

"That is not what Tasha meant!" Clint defended her.

"Well what else can you do with us? You can't let us go, we're a threat to you," David reasoned.

"Uh, we let Steve's kid just walk away, and she's a time bomb!"

The room went silent, and Steve pushed away from the table so hard the chair he'd been sitting on screeched loudly.

"This is NOT about Harper." Steve hissed. "This is about you guys. This is about two separate teams who need to find a way to work together and either don't know how, or refuse to even try."

"Probably a little bit of both." Tony admitted, and Steve nodded.

"Scottie?" Scott raised his hand in acknowledgement. "You documented the entire thing. Mind doing a replay?"

Scott nodded, turned to the computer, and let the tape roll.

* * *

The tape showed Team Two entering successfully and reaching the hostage; and then the alarm going off and them having to reevaluate their escape plan and deal with unfriendlies. Mere moments before the situation would've been well in hand, the Avengers appeared, making a huge mess and catching the attention of every unfriendly in the room. The situation quickly went downhill from there; and the fighting continued, long after the unfriendlies were taken care of, held between the two teams and catching the attention of the news.

When the video stopped playing, everyone was silent.

* * *

Then Tasha sighed. "Now you have physical proof that Team Two just isn't ready." She glared hard at Fury. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Whoa-" Will sputtered. "NO!" He turned to Fury as well. "Now you have tangible proof that the Avengers are purpose sabotaging us. What are you going to do about THAT?"

And the fighting, which had concluded, began again.

Steve threw up his hands, and leaned his forehead against the wall. He was done.

Fury tried to reason with everyone, but quickly had to resort to threats.

"You will force me to pull out the big guns." He threatened over the roar of the fighting teams.

The slam of the door diverted everyone's attention, but it was the person who'd slammed the door open that had the chaos dwindling down into shocked silence.

"And if you hadn't guessed, the guns Fury's referring to, are THESE guns." Harper, dressed simply in Jeans and a gray hoodie, flexed both her arms dramatically.

Those actually weren't the guns Fury had been talking about, but he'd stay silent for the moment.

"Harper?" Will whispered, shocked.

"Harper!" Scott squealed, raising his arm in a victorious fist.

"Not Harper." Harper corrected with a grin that bled into a stern look.

"From this point on….you can call me Coach."

* * *

 **So Steve's a scheming butt-hole, but his plan worked and Harper has now been sucked into the chaos that is the Avengers and Team Two.**

 **yay!**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite maybe?**

 **LLAP.**

 **~CLC~**


	6. Coach

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations**

* * *

"So….you saw the news then?" Tony guessed.

"Shh!" Harper ordered.

"But what have you been up to man?" Will asked.

"Hush." Harper demanded.

"But-"

"Silence!" Harper glared at the group around her.

Will, Avery, Jake, and David sat on the couch, Clint and Steve squished on either end. Bruce, Tasha and Thor had brought bar stools over, and sat behind the couch. Tony stood, arms crossed, to one side.

Harper stood in front of them, face serious and expression stern. "I will not allow you guys to tear each other apart." She made eye contact with everyone, staring them down until they looked away. When she got to Steve she made a disgruntled face, and he just smiled back innocently. She shook her head.

"Here's the deal." She schooled her face back into seriousness. "Fury has until further notice put ME in charge of both Team Two and The Avengers. That means that I assign who goes on what missions, I oversee all training exercises, and I decide when and if both teams are properly prepared for duty. I will be creating a program that if you do not pass; will mean the disbanding of BOTH teams."

The Avengers looked furious, but they said nothing. Team Two looked nervous, but thrilled. They'd trained under Harper before. They knew they would be pushed, but that they would also become better…the latter of which had been sorely lacking with the Avengers training program.

"This means that you show up to work; not to play. This means you show up dedicated, no half-way. Understand?"

Team Two nodded. The Avengers grumbled.

Harper crossed her arms. "Understand?" She said again, voice lower, eyes narrowed.

"Right, yeah, sure fine." Tony rolled his eyes. "So where do you want us to start? Making daisy chains? Asking getting to know you questions?"

Harper thought for a moment. Then she grinned. "I want everyone to hit the training room…I want you fight each other."

"In teams?" Tasha asked.

"Nope." Harper grinned. She started moving towards the training center.

"So…" Steve narrowed his eyes. "A free-for-all?"

Harper grinned. "Exactly."

Tony shrugged. "Not a horrible idea." He followed Harper. "Alright I'm in."

Harper grinned. "I thought you might be."

Steve and Harper shared a look.

This "fight"….

It was gonna be good.

* * *

The fight was better than good.

It was a blood-bath….hypothetically speaking.

Technically no one really "bled", but if they could've, no one would've survived.

There were plenty of injuries of course, bruises and scrapes and burns and dislocated shoulders and body parts wrenched out of socket, because everyone played dirty and no one wanted to lose.

When the team reconvened on the couches once more, everyone was exhausted, nursing some type of injury or another, and were far less inclined to argue with anything Harper had to say….

Just the way she wanted them.

"Alright." Harper clapped her hands with a grin.

"Go to bed."

Tony frowned.

"Wait…what?"

Harper raised her brows and crossed her arms.

"You heard me." She smirked. "I'll show up sometime tomorrow," she raised a finger, "I won't tell you when, so be ready at all times, and we'll start there. I have to look over the notes I made on your performance, plus I have a life that doesn't revolved around," Harper glanced at the room with a grimace, "all of this." She nodded once.

"Well….see you tomorrow!" She skipped towards the door, then stopped to look back at Steve. "Will you be home for dinner?" She asked cheekily.

Steve nodded his head. "I suppose so, my boss just gave us the rest of the day off."

Harper grinned and winked. Steve rolled his eyes and turned towards the group of people glaring him down.

He smiled brightly at all of them. "Whelp….you heard the boss. Get some rest." He smirked. "See you tomorrow!" And he quickly made his escape.

Oh he knew he'd have to answer their questions eventually…but not tonight.

Not yet.

* * *

"So she took you back…just like that?" Will leaned forward, resting his head on his hand and his elbow on the table.

Steve shrugged. "It wasn't so much "just like that" then it was "I'm such a nice person and I'll give you a second chance, but don't screw it up," He joked.

Jake smirked. "That sounds more like Harp."

"So…she's doing well then?" David piped up. "After…everything?"

Steve grimaced. "Well…yeah. Not so much because she's moved past it, but more because," he hesitated.

"She doesn't really remember it?" He finished slowly.

Avery's eyes widened slowly. "I'm sorry?" He asked politely.

"Whoa." Tony moved from where he'd been lounging in the living room to peer over Will's shoulder. Will grimaced but didn't object. "You're saying the kid doesn't remember?"

"Doesn't remember what?" Tasha joined the conversation.

"Well, she remembers going with Matthews," Steve began, "And being shot by him, but after that it goes hazy." He shrugged.

"So what does she think happened after that?" Bruce asked.

"She thinks that we saved her from Matthews lair, saved the day, and brought her back to headquarters."

"Where she woke up in the med bay, seemingly healing from the gunshot wound." Thor added slowly. He nodded. "A logical reach, for her."

"But why haven't you told her the truth?" Clint crossed his arms.

"You mean, why haven't I told her that she's a super-powerful superhero, with all of our combined DNA running through her system?" Steve clarified.

"Well…yeah." Clint shrugged.

"Why didn't I tell the college freshmen who's only ever wanted to be normal that she'll never be anything but?" Steve tried again.

"OH." Clint grimaced. "Right. I get it."

"You don't think she has a right to know?" Will's eyes narrowed.

"I think I can't break her heart and crush her soul." Steve answered plainly. "If you want to tell her…go right ahead."

"Tell who what?"

The entire group jumped as a whole, turning to a smirking Harper, who stood a few feet away, idly tossing an apple from one hand to another.

"Steve wants to tell Scott that he's adopted." Avery rolled his eyes. "How rude, right?"

Harper narrowed her eyes. "Nice try." She complimented, "But seeing as Scott's not a girl and also not adopted, I see right through your tactical retreat." She rolled her eyes. "But I'll leave it for now." She tossed her apple to Steve, and grinned.

"Are you guys ready?"

"For what?" Tony asked tiredly. Harper winked.

"Sure we are." Steve shot Tony a look. "What's on the agenda for the day?"

"Well…The Avengers main excuse to not want to train Team Two is because they're all still teenagers right? Because you all don't really see any potential or talent to build on?"

"Right." Tasha nodded.

"Hey!" Avery threw his hands up.

"Calm down," Harper shot at Avery, "this is what we're going to do." Harper pointed to the balcony above them; that gave anyone standing on it a full view of the bottom floor. "Avengers, you're job is to stand on that balcony…and watch."

"Watch what?" Thor asked.

"Watch…us." Harper gestured to Team Two and herself. "We're going to fight."

"Fight where?" Tony demanded. "You're not going to ruin my living room…"

"Of course not." Harper waved away Tony's concern. "Team Two and I are going to do an exercise that I used to make them do all the time when we were with Matthews. It's called No Trace."

Jake grimaced, but the rest of Team Two grinned. "YES!"

"What's No Trace?" Bruce asked.

"No Trace is an exercise in which we fight like normal…but not in the training room." Harper began.

"We'll pick a random area or room to do it in, and the entire goal is to break…nothing." Will explained. "You start with 16 points, and everytime you break something,"

"Or even disturb it, like move it or whatever," David broke in, "you lose a point."

"The person with the most points at the end wins." Avery finished. "We have to fight to our maximum potential, and you get extra points for style,"

"And technique." Harper added. "It's a lot of fun."

"It sounds impossible." Tony snorted.

"Go upstairs and watch and find out." Harper grinned.

Tony observed Harper for a minute, then he nodded. "Alright. Deal."

As the Avengers settled onto the balcony, and Team Two and Harper settled into opposite corners of the room, Tasha turned to Tony.

"I bet something breaks in the first 30 seconds." She bet.

"Well I bet they make it the entire 20 minute time limit without breaking anything." Clint retorted.

Tasha shot Clint a look, then nodded.

"Deal." She agreed, and as the two shook hands, Steve called down to the teenagers below…

"And…Go!"

* * *

The Avengers weren't watching a fight…it was a dance. Each player moved to their own tempo and rhythm, but still seamlessly responded to each other.

When Avery moved to punch Will in the face, Will dodged the punch and nearly sent a lamp scittering onto the floor. His hand shot out to right the lamp as his leg moved to kick Avery in the side. David shoved Jake and the kid did a backhandspring over a side table, not disturbing it in the least.

The group dodged and ducked and swerved and hit and kick, and while the kids had many near misses, none of the furniture was disturbed until halfway through the fight, when Harper kicked at Avery's legs and sent him collapsing right into a plant. The pot cracked and fell from the table where it had been displayed, and Avery groaned before turning and throwing Harper into a display case.

Inches from shattering the glass, her arms shot out to grab a floor length lamp, using it to spin her body away from the case, she lifted the lamp over her head, and threw it at Avery's head. The tall teen ducked, and Will darted in and snatched the lamp out of the air, righting it and moving it back to its original position while Avery turned to David and Jake grabbed for Harper.

When the 20 minute mark sounded, the kids were sweaty, and new bruises had sprouted, but Starks living room was practically pristine, the poor plant being the exception.

The Avengers moved back down to the living room and Steve handed Harper her clipboard.

"So Avery lost." Harper announced. "I got second for throwing Tony's lamp; style points, but Will won for putting it back." Harper shrugged. "As a normal person fighting Avengers, I'll take it."

Will grimaced but said nothing. Harper turned to the Avengers.

"Well." She grinned. "It's your turn."

"Ten bucks says the place is a sty at ten minutes." Avery leaned over to Jake. Jake snorted. "Twenty says a window's broken at five."

Avery nodded. "You're on." The two shook hands.

Avery made ten bucks that round….But Jake made twenty.

* * *

 **So it always bugs me when superheros save the city but also trash it at the same time. Who's teaching them to watch where they're going?**

 **Well...Harper, apparently, lol.**

 **Next chapter up next WEDNESDAY!**

 **Whee.**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **LLAP**

 **~CLC~**


	7. Bar-Bells

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

"Okay, well, I'M impressed."

Harper snorted. "Of course you are." She waved away Thor's compliment.

"It was cool." Clint agreed. "But what's the point of an exercise like that?"

"Wait, I got this." Jake set down his fork. "You know how after every major battle, the city's always completely torn apart?"

The Avengers nodded. "Well, think of all the clean-up and construction that has to be done, and all the money that goes into restoring the city."

"A lot." Steve answered.

"What if we didn't have to worry about that part; because we actually tried NOT to make a big mess during the fighting?"

"I don't actually worry about that part at all." Clint spoke up.

"You should." Harper chided.

"It IS our mess," Bruce added.

"But we have bigger things to worry about." Tasha argued.

"And that's why we have the Stark Relief Fund." Tony countered.

"We realize that you literally grow money on trees." Will rolled his eyes. "But throwing money around doesn't ALWAYS solve the problem."

"Even if it does most of the time," David brought up, "You shouldn't use your money as a crutch, you know what I'm saying?"

"Your job is to keep the city safe, and intact." Avery explained. "That means in mostly one piece."

"We all know your focus is the first part of that statement." Harper began. "and it rightfully should be. The exercise is establishing a part of your unconscious to focus on the surrounding area. The more you exercise this unconscious part, the easier it'll be to attempt to lessen the damage to the city while fighting."

"The villains won't hold true to this idea, but we can. It'll lessen the damage to a certain extent." Jake nodded.

"Also, the exercise is more for teaching you to be aware of your surroundings than anything else." Harper grinned. "Everything else is just extra."

Tony snorted. "Right."

"It's a good exercise." Tasha admitted. "And we've seen strategy and technique out of Team Two that we haven't before, which is an improvement."

"You're not teaching Team Two to BE you." Harper shrugged. "You're teaching them to HELP you. Don't make carbon copies, help them establish their OWN fighting skills."

Thor grunted. "Alright." He shrugged. "You're hired."

"Whoa." Tony raised a hand. "You don't hire people. I do." Thor rolled his eyes, and Tony turned to Harper.

"You're hired." He agreed.

"SO….what next, boss?" Will grinned.

Harper rolled her eyes and opened her mouth, but Steve spoke first.

"Understand," He sent the table a look. "Harper's in college, she has a job, and she's extremely invested in the Manhattan Project. We'll follow her schedule, because I'm not going to let her run ragged trying to keep up with us."

Clint saluted. "Yes Captain!" He agreed, then turned to Harper. "So….College huh?"

Harper nodded. "I'm majoring in Communications." She informed. "Mostly because I don't know what else to major in."

"Forget College." Will smirked. "Join the army."

Steve shook his head. "Don't forget College." He argued. "Don't join the army!"

"Yeah." Clint piped up. "Join the circus instead."

"Or not!" Harper blurt out. "Clowns TERRIFY me."

"Clowns terrify everyone." Tasha spoke dryly. Thor shuddered.

"I googled clowns a few months ago." He added. "Clowns are terrifying."

"There ya go." Jake shrugged. "God of Thunder has spoken. Clowns are officially terrifying."

"I wonder if that's what I should do with my kids nursery," Tony mused. "Clowns."

"Really?" Avery shook his head. "Your kid will be born with nightmares."

Tony grinned. "Yeah, never mind. Pepper would never go for it."

"Which," Harper patted his arm. "Congrats yo! I heard about the wedding!" She grinned.

Tony shrugged. "It seemed like the time. Plus Pep doesn't want a bastard, so…"

"Hey." Will pointed a finger. "You're pretty much surrounded by bastards….and we turned out fine, so."

The table went silent for a moment, then Avery leaned forward. "You're fiance's got the right of it." He nodded. "Get married."

"Tony rolled his eyes. "Right. By the way," Tony turned to Harper. "Pep asked about you."

"She did?!" Harper brightened.

"Stark Industies is taking on college interns. She wants to know if either you, or any of your college buddies would be interested in applying."

Harper nodded. "I'll ask around. How's she doing with wedding planning, being pregnant, AND running a company?"

"She's going crazy." Tony admitted brightly. "She doesn't have many female friends, she's kind of going insane."

Harper grimaced. "Maybe I'll stop in, see if there's anything I can do to help."

"Do that." Tony advised. "In your copious amounts of free time."

Harper rolled her eyes. "As busy as Papa Bear over there made me sound," Steve held up his hands, "I make time for what's important. I'll see if I can help."

"Great." Tony nodded.

"Speaking of women," Thor spoke up. "Jane has been going over your sobriety serum."

"Yes?" Harper straightened. "Did she figure it out?"

"Yes." Thor grinned. "She's brilliant, of course she did. She wanted to know if you wanted to run the trials with her."

"Uh…duh!" Harper beamed. "Tell her to call me. I'm DOWN." Her phone went off that moment, and she looked down with a grimace. "But uh, not at the moment. Work calls. But before I go…" She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "I should probably leave you with some homework."

"Or you could not?" Jake asked hopefully. Harper just smirked.

"Nice try." She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. "Here's contact info for a guy who'll tutor y'all for your GED. He's legit, and he'll work around your schedule, but he's expensive." Harper grinned at Stark who rolled his eyes.

"What with all that money I'll be saving by NOT tearing the city to shred every time I battle someone, I'm sure I'll be able to afford the guy." Tony snarked.

Harper chuckled. "I'm sure." She handed Will the paper.

"Quick!" Is Harper gone?" Scottie teased, walking into the room just then. Harper rolled her eyes.

"Bite me, Proctor." She retorted. "Now sit, this part involves you too."

"Aw darn." Scott took a seat. "Came in at just the wrong time."

"Shh." Harper smiled. "So. My first order of business is to pair you up. After watching the way you all fight against each other, I have paired you up on a compatibility basis. Spend time with each other, train with each other, and learn from each other." She demanded. "When we run training Exercises, and I say pairs, these are the pairs I speak of. They won't look like they make sense, but trust me. Aight?"

Everyone nodded, albeit a bit reluctantly. "Wonderful."

"Clint, you're with Jake."

"Will, you're with Thor."

"Avery and Tony."

"Steve and Scottie."

"I get a big?!" Scott pumped a fist. "Awesome-sauce!" Harper rolled her eyes.

"Tasha's with me." Harper beamed. "And Bruce and David."

Tasha raised a hand. "Why you and I?" She asked. Harper shrugged.

"Because we're twins." Tasha pursed her lips, but nodded.

"Well," Harper sighed and stood. "This has been fun, but I better jet. I'm meeting with the Manhattan Project Board," She winked at Thor, "and some of them are a stickler for being on time."

"Oh. Here." Steve flicked something Harper's way, and she caught it on reflex. "Something to help you get there on time."

Harper looked down at the keys, and Steve took the opportunity to stride away.

"These are keys." She said dumbly. She looked up.

"Father!" She ordered, rushing after Steve. "WHAT ARE THESE KEYS TO?"

* * *

"They're cute." Will grinned.

"Agreed." Tony pushed himself away from the table. "Well, come along, padawan. We shall begin your training." Avery raised a brow as Tony patted him on the shoulder. "Please tell me you're going to explain the advanced chemistry involved in your suits automatic sensors." Tony grinned.

"I like you." He decided, throwing an arm around Avery and leading him away.

* * *

Scott rushed off to go bug, er, FIND Steve, and Will turned to Thor. His eyes brightened. "Is Asgard really built using architecture similar to that of the Greek and Roman empires of long ago?"

Thor grinned. "We have our own signature, but it's similar, " He began.

Clint rolled his eyes. "Gross. Come on, Jake, let's go beat each other up."

Jake snorted. "You think you can take this?"

"If you stay black." Clint argued.

Jake rolled his eyes. "Even when I'm green," He argued. "I'm black."

Bruce blinked. David chuckled. "They're all crazy." He admitted. "But everyone is, in their own way."

Bruce nodded in agreement. "So." He spoke slowly. "What should we do now?"

David thought for a moment. "You know how to make quiche?"

Bruce frowned and shook his head. David grinned. "Come my friend. Learn from a master."

* * *

Tasha stood, arms crossed, once the room was clear.

The kid might have the ability to take out everyone inside her and didn't even know it….

But she was right about some things, that's for sure.

* * *

 _1 month later:_

"Hey Harp."

Harper shot Steve a look. "Really?" She complained. "You don't get enough of me at the tower, or at home? You have to come bug me here? At my place of work?"

Steve grinned. "Everyone else hogs your attention at the tower and you're pretty much never home." He made a pouty face, and Harper rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Papa bear. We'll hang out after my shift, alright?" She promised. Steve smiled and nodded.

"Great!"

"Now are you going to order something, or did you come just to guilt me into hanging out with you?"

Steve shrugged. "Little bit of both. Just get whatever you made for me last time, that was great."

Harper smirked. "One iced Americano for the iced Americano!" She threw over her shoulder, and her coworkers, who were used to Steve showing up by now and were mostly chill about it, all laughed.

"Kid's got jokes." Detective Morris leaned forward from where he sat only a table away, and Steve rolled his eyes.

"Kid THINKS she's got jokes." Steve corrected. "She's not all that funny, actually."

"Psh. I'm hilarious. Come get your drink old man." She slid his cup towards him. "And go bug Morris about his homeless people problem."

"Homeless people problem?" Steve raised a brow at Morris, who shrugged.

"I've got a lot of odd disappearances going down." Morris squinted. "No one else seems to care,"

"Because the streets are looking cleaner?" Steve sympathized. "The news was talking about what an improvement it was."

"But the "garbage" that they're talking about having been cleaned up…it's people. And people have to go somewhere." Morris grunted. "But I've been slammed at work, I don't have enough time to organize all the files I'd need to ask to officially pursue this."

"That's why you need an intern." Harper leaned over. "And I volunteer."

"With all that free time you have?" Steve asked dryly.

Harper shrugged. "I need an internship for my Career class."

"And Stark offered you one." Steve retorted.

"Yeah, but that's with STARK." She scrunched up her nose. "I see him enough, thank you. Morris is way cooler. AND it's a case I can really sink my teeth into." Harper snapped her teeth together a few times.

"What do you mean?" Morris asked.

"I was homeless when I was a kid. Way before Steve." Harper grinned wryly. "I know the life. I have the drive to see this through and the skills to get them to talk to me in a way they won't talk to you."

Morris looked a little sick, and Harper threw him a banana.

"Being homeless as a kid is more of a constant adventure than it is anything else." She smiled. "Don't freak out, I survived." A voice hollered for Harper from the back had her pointing at Steve.

"Fix him." She joked. And she moved away.

Steve shot Morris a wry smile. "You alright there?" He asked.

Morris opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Then he nodded. "Yep." He nodded again. "I'm fine."

Steve stood. "Alright then. Good luck on your case." Morris nodded, watching Steve go with furrowed brows.

* * *

"So about that internship," Harper said as she returned, "I really think you should let me…" She trailed off and crossed her arms. "Talk out loud to no one, because everyone left while I was in the back." She snorted.

"Figures."

* * *

 **So, we've got Team Two and The Avengers finally working together thanks to Harper, and Harper is officially BUSY...but Morris' homeless people problem sounds QUITE interesting.**

 **Everything's going pretty good, right? I would hate for...something bad...to happen...**

 **HEHEHEHEH.**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **~CLC~**


	8. Hurt

Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.

* * *

Nearly two and a half months later, and Fury watched the two teams spar in Stark's Training room with a grin.

There was a marked improvement in not only how everyone fought, but in relations. Harper's "pairs" switched every two weeks, and getting the group to separate and forcing them into smaller groups had allowed everyone to bond with each other. The current pairs stood at Avery and Clint, Steve and Jake, Thor and Will, Tony and Harper, Tasha and David, and Bruce and Scott. Each duo fought the others, in an attempt to stay alive.

Eventually, somehow, it was just Steve and Harper that were active, and Tony cheered brightly for Harper, while everyone rooted for Steve.

Despite only using her human capabilities, Harper was more than a match for all of them, and she won so many of these training exercises that everyone was a bit…bitter.

" _ **Destroy Her!**_ " Avery bellowed.

But only a bit.

* * *

"Progress feels good." Thor moved to stand next to Fury, and he smiled.

"Progress looks good." He agreed. "How do you feel about Team Two now?"

"They've potential." Thor nodded. "They're bright, and smart, and more than ready to fight."

"So…changed your tune then?" Fury smirked.

"Absolutely." Thor nodded. "Harper is an amazing instructor, and we've all learned greatly from her teachings."

"She still devoting a good amount of time to you all?" Fury asked. Thor smirked.

"Despite her schooling, and volunteering, and working, and internship with the NYPD, and in between her and Jane and all their little experiments and helping Pepper plan her wedding," Thor laughed, "She's here more often than not." Thor narrowed his eyes as he watched her dodge Steve's shield, laughing. "She thrives on the busyness."

Fury nodded. "That she does." He agreed.

"She's doing great, right?" Tony appeared on Fury's other side, and Thor rolled his eyes.

"She's always doing great." Thor retorted. "But this time, I think Steve might take the win." He inclined his head to where Harper crouched, trapped in a corner with a grinning Steve advancing on her."

Tony frowned, then smirked as Harper suddenly reared forward, pausing with an abandoned arrow of Hawkeyes' in her hand and held centimeters from Steve's heart.

Steve huffed, but conceded defeat, and Tony whooped.

"We win!" He bragged.

Harper rolled her eyes, rubbing the wispies out of her eyes. "Says the guy who was the first one out."

Tony shrugged. "And?" Harper grumbled good-naturally, smiling at Fury.

"Well?" She asked, out of breathe. "What do you think?"

Fury furrowed his brow….then he clapped several times.

"Well Done." He complimented, and Harper beamed.

"They were pretty raw," Harper joked, "But I whipped them into shape." Fury, Thor, and Tony moved to where the rest of the Avengers and Team Two waited.

"It's a good thing that you've worked out most of the kinks." Fury held up a file. "Because I have a mission for you."

Will crossed his arms. "For which team?" Fury looked to Harper, who smiled and nodded.

Fury smirked.

"All of you."

* * *

"So what's the case?"

"Portland."

Will and Team two rolled their eyes.

"Care to elaborate on that, Scrappy?" Tasha joked. Scottie snorted.

Fury had thrown the file at Scottie, told the teams to suit up, and left them on their own.

Now, an hour later, Scottie, Jake, and Harper wore dark navy Shield uniforms and scoured over the files with Bruce while Clint flew and taught David the basics. David wore black jeans and a white shirt, the long silver necklace around his neck actually his suit in camouflage mode. Tony wore a similar get up, but his suit was camouflaged into a watch.

The rest of the avengers wore their usual uniforms, Will in army fatigues that were an emerald green, and Avery in armor similar to Thor, which the God of Thunder had insisted on. Avery's uniform differed from Thor's in that his cape was a bright sky blue.

"We're talking Portland, Maine, not Portland Oregon." Harper grinned, continuing where Scottie had begun and then abruptly ended.

"While y'all were getting your acts together, Shield was busy taking care of any lingering IAS buildings and agents. Matthews bit the dust,"

Will grimaced, "so the group itself crumpled without their leadership, but Connors division, and Connor himself, has yet to actually be found." Harper held up the file. "Fury tracked all the leads I gave him, and every building was empty. This building in Maine, is the last potential location Shield has."

"And he doesn't think it's empty." Jake finished. "Thus the need for all of us."

"Right." Tony made a face. "Do we KNOW what we're walking into?" He asked.

Scottie grimaced. "That's a nope." He shrugged. "We're going in blind."

"So…what's the plan?" Thor looked to Steve, who thought for a moment, then turned to Harper.

"Harp?" He smiled. "What you got?"

Tasha opened her mouth, but Steve shot her a look, and she closed it.

"Well, unfortunately this base is the opposite of what we usually look for in a secret lair, which is probably the only reason we didn't know about it till now." Harper sighed. "He's in the basement of a 30-story office building located in the heart of downtown Maine."

"He could potentially be on other floors," Scotty began, "But we've had no other hits on that building, so it's more likely,"

"That the rest of the building is a cover." Bruce added.

"Literally." Jake joked.

"I didn't even know Maine HAD a downtown," Tony whispered to Steve, who chuckled.

"So we have civilians to worry about." Avery concluded. "Which means we'll need civvies."

"Nope!" Harper beamed. "You and Steve will walk right in."

"But," Tasha tried to argue, But Clint hushed her.

"Are we evacuating?" Steve asked. Harper shook her head.

"Only if necessary. You're primary job will be to man the front doors. Sign autographs, look good," Harper smirked.

"That last part, I can do." Avery grinned. "Cap better just focus on the rest of that sentence." Steve rolled his eyes.

"I have the feeling that if this goes bad, the building will be the first to go." Harper began. "So Scott, Clint and I will make our way to the security room. We'll be your eyes and ears. Tasha and Will, Clint will override the service Elevator, and I want you to enter from the back doors and take that down to the basement. Elevator three will be for the quick retreat." Will nodded, and Tasha squinted but agreed.

"Jake, you're on standby." Harper began. "You're on the jet; you'll be our outside force."

"Aye Aye boss!" Jake grinned.

"Tony and Dave will start from the top and run a full scan of the entire building. Stark, you take the north side and Dave the south. Bruce, Thor, there's an underground parking garage right above the basement. Tasha and Will will sneak in stealth mode, but once the alarm is sounded, use your muscle and make a hole. I want you in there and every unfriendly out before they can reach ground floor. After the hole is made, Bruce fall back." Harper threw Bruce a vial. "The last dosage worked well enough, but Dave and Jane think they've worked out all the kinks with that batch."

Bruce caught the vial that would let the other guy take over physically but leave Bruce in control. He grinned. "Got it."

"Thor, once you're in, send Tony the all clear, and Tony and Dave will join you through that entrance. Dave, get Bruce to Jake, run a full scan of the building, and then pick up any strays."

"Got it." David nodded.

"Tasha and Will, take out the first responders, but once your backup arrives, focus on getting as much Intel as possible. Connors is everyone priority, understood?" She sent the group a serious look, and everyone responded with a determined look of their own. Harper grinned.

"Let's keep the building intact, get what we need, and keep everyone alive." She finished.

* * *

A few minutes later, and the first combined mission began.

Seeing as Steve was no longer manipulating, it shouldn't go TOO badly…right?

Harper stepped away from the door she'd just unlocked using the security badge she'd swiped from an unsuspecting guard, allowing Clint and Scottie to precede her into the room. Clint moved to sit in front of a computer screen and Scottie took over examining all the feeds. Harper locked the door behind her, checked over Clint's shoulder as he commandeered Elevator three and notified Will and Tasha that he was ready, and moved to Scottie's side once she saw Will and Tasha slip inside.

Scottie eyed 8 screens brightly, switching them over as necessary so each of their teammates was visible.

"Avery and Cap have control of the main floor, and they're keeping the civilians under control. Will and Widow have just reached the base; they're going in." Scotty narrated. "Thor and Hulk, ready positions…..and NOW."

There was a loud crash, but when Steve just smiled and remarked about the demolition next door, the civilians smiled and followed his lead.

"Stark, Navy, Ready for you." Thor spoke over the comms, and the suits disappeared from Scotty's third camera, the outdoor view; so Scottie changed that feed to switch floors every ten seconds or so.

"Hulk's shrunk and been delivered." David, AKA Navy, alerted. "I'm headed back to pick off the stragglers."

"Will, Widow, are you free to focus on Intel?" Harper asked.

A chuckle. "Way ahead of you, boss. No sign of Connors but we're copying all their files."

"Perfect." Clint chuckled, and Harper turned to see the man messing with the elevator so a few unfriendlies couldn't get on." Harper rolled her eyes.

"Can I get a hand over at Elevator three?" Harper asked. "We have some escapees."

"On it." Navy swept in and took them out, and Clint pouted.

"Hey." He complained. "I was playing with those."

Harper snorted and turned back to the feeds. "Cap?" Harper questioned. "Still Alive?"

"I would never dare die on your watch." Steve joked, voice tight. Harper smirked as she watched the man swing his shield. "How we looking?"

"Good on our end." Scottie answered.

"Sweet." Steve grunted. Harper scanned all of the feeds, then her eyes narrowed. She pushed Scottie away from the controls for a moment to change one of the feeds to a close up of the third floor, then zoomed in on a young man, walking hurriedly towards the stair case. Harper frowned.

"What are you doing here?" She murmured softly.

"Whats up?" Scottie asked, a little confused, but Harper didn't answer, instead watching as the young man reached the staircase only to see it blocked by a few security men, chatting.

He froze, and turned. Harper gasped when he faced the camera, then she growled.

"Harp, what is it?" Clint asked, but instead of answering, Harper ripped open the door and ran out.

With a muttered curse, Clint stood to follow, but she was long gone by the time he reached the doorway. He moved back into the room.

"Scottie, find her," He demanded.

Steve, on his feed, froze. "Harper?" He asked. "What's going on?"

Scottie tapped away madly at the keys, and Harper appeared on the third floor, striding angrily towards the boy she'd recognized from the feeds. He'd yet to catch sight of her.

"Hey!" She bit out, catching his attention. "That's mine." She pointed to the notebook the boy held tightly in his hand. "Give it back…now."

"Harp?! Who are you talking to?" Steve demanded, absentmindedly hitting one of his opponents in the face with his Shield.

The boy on the screen shook his head madly, and Harper, eyebrows furrowing, took a step forward.

The boy yelled something, probably "Stay Back!" But Harper took another step forward, and the kid drew a gun out of his pocket, and without even giving another warning, aimed and pulled the trigger.

Harper was thrown back from the force of the gunshot, hand coming to cradle her stomach, now spilling blood.

People began to scream and a few men rushed forward to rip the gun out of the boys hand while a young woman in the crowd ran forward to help Harper.

Scottie whirled away from the cameras with a shriek. "I'm calling the cops." He spoke up.

Clint shook his head. "The civilians will have already done that. Where's the nearest hospital?"

Scottie shook his head. "St. Mary's." He answered, face ashen.

"Team, fall back, dress down. Then find your way to St. Mary's" Clint ordered.

"What happened?" Steve demanded. Harper's comm had gone silent the second she'd hit the ground… and Steve was panicking.

"Fall back!" Clint demanded. "Retreat!"

"What's going on?" Stark demanded.

Clint grimaced and looked to Scottie. "Harper is down!" He finally said.

"I repeat, Harper is down."

* * *

"What was she doing?" Steve paced the hospital waiting room furiously. "What was she thinking?! Everything was under control and then, what?" He turned to Clint and Scott.

"She saw something on one of the feeds." Scott shrugged, face ashen. "She saw something, and then she just…bolted."

"She saw that kid." Clint snapped. "That kid from the first Manhattan Project event. The kid who betrayed her, who was with Connors when they dosed her."

"But she doesn't remember that second part." Tasha spoke up. "She probably still thought he was a good guy."

"She wasn't flipping out about the kid though." Scott spoke up. "She was more worried about this, uh, notebook, that the kid was carrying."

Will shot Team Two a look. "A green notebook?" He asked slowly.

Scott nodded. "She tried to get it back from him, but he wouldn't let her have it. Then he shot her." Scott grimaced.

"What was in the notebook?" Thor asked.

"That notebook has pretty much her entire life in there." Avery answered slowly. "It has all her ideas and theories on several different projects."

"Including the DNA serum?" Bruce guessed, and Jake nodded.

"Wonderful." Tasha growled. "Did she get it? Did anyone?"

"I did." Detective Morris stepped around the corner, the notebook in his hand. He gave it to Tasha, who took it, relieved. "I caught the case," He looked at Steve.

"Uh…Ok." Tony made a confused face. "Who are you?"

"Detective Morris, NYPD." Morris introduced. "Harper interns with me at the department." He focused on Steve. "I was the first one in the security room, caught the last few glimpses of you guys leaving the scene." He nodded. "I made sure to erase you all." Morris smirked a little impressed.

"You took down a secret lab underneath right under 1,000 people's feet, and the only thing people know about is a random shooting on the third floor?" He shook his head. "Nicely done."

Steve shrugged. "You catch the kid?"

Morris nodded grimly. "We got him. How's Harper?"

Steve shrugged. "We don't know yet, the doctor hasn't-"

"Harper Kennedy?" The Avengers snapped to attention, as a harried looking doctor with blood on his coat stepped towards them.

"Yes?" Steve stepped forward. "I'm her father." He confirmed. "How is she?"

The doctor grimaced. "She's in very critical condition, Captain." The doctor began. "She's in desperate need of a blood transfusion. We don't have much time, are you aware of if your blood type is compatible to her?"

Steve winced, but before he could admit to not knowing, Detective Morris stepped forward.

"We have the same blood type." He spoke, "I'll donate."

"You have to be positive," The doctor warned, "We don't have the time to test it, so-"

"She's my biological daughter." Morris interrupted. "I'm sure."

The doctor sighed in relief and moved forward to grip Morris' arm. "Good, come with me." As the doctor dragged Morris away, he shot the Avengers a shrug.

Everyone looked to Steve, who was stunned.

….."What?!"

* * *

 **I said Morris was important? This is what I meant. Yep.**

 **Next chapter up next Wednesday!**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **LLAP,**

 **~CLC~**


	9. Dads

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

"Harper Kennedy?" The doctor, thankfully wearing a clean coat stepped forward, a clipboard in his hand.

Steve stood, Clint at his side. Everyone else had been sent home to debrief Fury and rest up, but Clint had insisted on staying. "Yes, Doctor?" Steve asked.

"First off; Harper is going to be fine." The doctor smiled when Steve sighed in relief. "We're lucky her biological father was here, so the blood transfusion could begin in a timely manner…it may be what saved her life." The doctor looked down at his clipboard. She's been stitched up and will probably be sore for a few weeks, and we'll want to keep her for at least a day or two, but then she should be good to go." The doctor nodded.

"So Detective Morris is really," Steve choked on his words. "He's actually Harper's-"

"Father?" The doctor finished. "Yes." He nodded. "We ran a DNA test while we were at it and Harper is definitely Detective Morris' daughter."

Steve nodded dumbly, and Clint patted his arm.

"When can we see her?" Clint asked for Steve.

"She's asleep, but you can step in and keep her company." The doctor led the way. "Morris is already there."

Steve grimaced. "Wonderful." He bit out.

Morris stood from Harper's bedside when Steve and Clint entered.

"I can explain." He began, but Steve shook his head and raised a hand, effectively silencing him. "Not yet," He ordered, moving to Harper's side.

Steve placed a hand on Harper's forehead, then scanned the rest of her body. The bandaging around her stomach was thick and easily visible through the thin blanket that covered Harper, and Steve covered one of her hands with his own. He sat down, watching Harper breathe for a few minutes. Then he sighed, leaned over, placed a kiss on Harper's forehead, and then stood.

Steve shot Clint a look, and he nodded and took Steve's seat. Steve then looked to Morris and jerked his head toward the hallway, marching out. Morris followed slowly.

* * *

The second Steve felt he was far enough away, he whirled to face Morris.

"Explain." He bit out. "Now."

Morris sighed. "I worked in the undercover unit when I first joined the force, and I was tasked to infiltrate a local mob bosses' gang. I may or may not have gotten a little friendly with the bosses' girlfriend, but I was found out and then reassigned before I even knew she was pregnant." Morris sighed heavily and paced back and forth in the empty hallway.

Steve stood frozen, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"I found out a few years ago during the reopening of a murder case that went down while I was undercover that both the mob boss and the girlfriend had died a few months after the girlfriend had given birth. I did the math…" Morris huffed, "I knew there was a fair chance that the kid could've been mine, so I started digging."

"How was she in the system?" Steve asked.

"She was linked to a group of street kids who were picked up as witnesses to a robbery. All of the kids had their DNA taken and entered into the system, but no missing children's cases came up, and all of the kids disappeared from their foster homes less than three hours having been placed." Morris shrugged. "I've been looking for her for six years."

"How did you find her?" Steve's face didn't change, but if what Morris was saying were true…Harper had a real father….so where did that leave Steve?

"I have friends who have access to every person's DNA that's been run through the government system for any reason. Harper was checked over in order to establish her Manhattan Project a little over six months ago."

Morris shrugged. "Her picture was on file and I ran into her at the coffee shop purely by accident." He laughed harshly. "I thought it was fate, running into her there. But she didn't need me," Morris shot Steve a look. "Apparently, she had you."

Steve's lips tightened, but he said nothing.

Morris shrugged. "She was happy, and she wasn't alone, and I wanted to be a part of her life, but she already had a dad, so I would just be her mentor." He grimaced. "I wasn't even going to tell anyone."

Steve thought for a moment….then he straightened his shoulders. "That's not fair to Harper." He sighed. "She deserves to know who you are, and you have a right to be a part of her life."

Morris narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"You heard me." Steve bit out. "You're her father, and Harper deserves to know." Steve winced. "I don't feel like keeping anymore secrets from her than I already am."

Morris looked shocked. "You really care about her, don't you?"

Steve sighed. "I do." He admitted. "But, so, apparently, do you."

Morris shrugged. "She's just that kind of person." He agreed. "You can't help but care about her."

Steve huffed. "True."

Morris shoved his hands in his pocket. "But maybe not tell her right this second?" He asked timidly.

Steve rolled his eyes, but agreed. "That's probably a good idea." He admitted.

"Yo….Harper's awake." Clint smiled at Steve and glared at Morris as the two hurried back to Harper's side.

* * *

"Yo, guys!" Harper smiled weakly. "How is it that I'm always getting shot in the stomach?"

"Somebody just wants you to have some really wicked scars." Clint joked, and Harper snickered.

"Right, because that's the REAL reason." Harper joked. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Uh, hey Morry. What are you doing here?"

Morris grinned a little tightly. "I was given the case." He explained. "Caught the video surveillance and saw a certain _someone_ approaching a perp holding a gun."

Harper grimaced. "Now who would do something stupid like that?" She teased.

"I dunno, you tell me." Steve dead-panned, and Harper's face fell.

"He had my journal, pops." She complained. "I don't even know how he got it, but he had it, and I wanted it back. ALSO," Harper sat up slowly, grimacing, "It was COLBY. I didn't think he was a threat, but apparently he's a bad guy?" Harper shrugged. "Who knew?!"

Steve and Clint shared a look, and Morris frowned. Before Morris could speak though, a tall young man, in ash-covered overalls with dirt on his cheeks, and panicked green eyes burst into the room.

"Harper Gray, do NOT tell me you're running around getting shot when I'm not around!" The man demanded, and Harper grimaced, shooting Steve a nervous glance. Steve narrowed his eyes and turned to the young man, who paid the other inhabitants in the room no heed, moving straight to the clipboard at the end of Harper's bed.

"Of course not!" Harper conceded slowly. "Only sometimes."

The man shot her a look, and Harper shrugged. "I can't help it if my life is dangerous." She complained. "Blame him." Harper pointed to Steve, and the young man turned.

"Oh!" The young man brightened. "Hello!" He held out a hand. "It's nice to officially meet you." He smiled brightly. "Harper speaks very highly of you."

Steve shook the boy's hand slowly. "That's nice…I guess." He shot Harper a look. "Who are you?"

The man's smile dimmed. "You don't…?" He tilted his head, then turned slowly to Harper.

"You didn't tell him?" He asked slowly.

"Dad…" Harper grimaced, "Meet Declan. My boyfriend."

Steve, who'd been expecting this, still felt like he'd been shot. "Your what?" He whispered.

Harper bit her lip.

"You heard me."

Declan turned back towards Steve. "Declan Staten." He further introduced. "I've been working at Station Six as a cadet firefighter for the last ten months." He smiled. "I live about six blocks from the Avengers Tower with my younger sister, whom is currently my legal responsibility. When I'm not working I'm with my sister or volunteering with the Manhattan Project."

He paused, and Harper smiled sheepishly. "Doesn't he sound SO nice, Dad?"

Steve shot her a look, and she went silent.

"I thought you knew." Declan added slowly. "And now I look like a douche."

"He's not." Harper input. "I am." She winced, and a nurse came in.

"Why are there so many people in here?" She asked sharply. "Miss Kennedy needs her rest, two of you need to leave."

"I've got to get back to work." Morris spoke up. He smiled warmly at Harper, his daughter, Steve's mind supplied. "Don't come in for at least a week." He ordered, and with a grimace, Harper nodded in agreement. He shot Steve a slow nod, and then left the room.

Declan sighed as well. "I have to get back to work too." He said regretfully. "I just wanted to make sure you were still breathing." He looked at Harper and she grinned brightly.

"How'd you even know?" She asked.

"You were on the news." Declan answered dryly, and she nodded in understanding.

"Ah. Got it. See you later?" Declan pointed a finger at her.

"Maybe." He shot Steve a smile. "I'd love to have you over for dinner, anytime." He proposed. "To get to know each other better."

Steve, despite himself, liked the confident, respectful young firefighter in front of him. He nodded. "That sounds like a good idea." He agreed, and Declan shook his hand before sending Harper a wink and leaving the room.

Steve moved to one side of Harper's bed, and Clint sat on the other side. "You alright if I leave for a while?" He asked, brushing Harper's hair away from her face." She rolled her eyes and nodded.

"I'm sure I'll be fine." She agreed.

"Of course she will. I'll be here to keep her company." Clint teased. Harper groaned, but Steve nodded in thanks and Clint shrugged in understanding.

"Get outta here, Cap." He smiled. "I have a bone to pick with red Hawk over here."

Steve smirked and shook his head when Harper made a face.

"Bird nicknames were cute when I was five, Birdbrain." Harper argued. "But you my friend, are foolishly mistaken if you think I will answer to them now, in my old age."

"Right, because you're so old, Bluebird."

Steve shook his head as he exited, outright laughing when he heard Harper's final words.

"I've never been so disrespected in my life."

* * *

"I do not know if I should feel sorry for the poor man who can't seem to lose himself to the oblivion of alcohol, or for the bartender, who is most certainly going to run out of drink if you continue to try."

Steve huffed, and raised a hand for another beer. "It's not like I'm not paying for it." He argued bitterly, and with a chuckle, Thor took a seat next to him.

"Captain….does this have anything to do with the man who mysteriously appeared at the hospital with a legal claim to YOUR child?" Thor asked wisely, and Steve snorted.

"Why yes, oh wise one, it does." Steve snorted. "Who does he think he is?" Steve raged, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Just showing up and claiming her like that, out of the blue! And..And how dare he be such a decent…good guy!" Steve's random burst of outrage seeped out of him as quickly as it had come, and he slumped against the counter. "Why couldn't he be old and mean…and fat?" Steve complained, and Thor hid a smile, sympathetically patting Steve on the back.

"He is a good man, then?" Thor asked. "And has a valid reason for not seeking Harper out until now?"

"He's a great man." Steve sighed. "He's a detective, and he didn't even know he had a daughter until about six years ago. He's been looking for her ever since."

"Why is she still unaware of his presence, then?" Thor asked slowly.

"He hasn't told her the truth," Steve sighed, "Because he saw that she was happy with me, and he didn't want to interfere somewhere where he wasn't needed."

"He does not want to take her from you then?" Thor inferred, and Steve nodded.

"He just wants her to be happy and to be a part of her life." Steve agreed.

"Then why so upset?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Because that's all he wants RIGHT NOW. But soon enough he'll get to know her better and he'll want more, and he has BLOOD on his side, and what if Harper doesn't want me anymore because he's the real deal?"

"Captain," Thor began, "You are an idiot."

"Hey!" Steve jerked upright, but Thor waved a hand.

"You are." He said again. "You need to have more faith in Harper then that. You and her have a bond superceding blood. You two are the missing pieces of a puzzle, and somehow complete each other. There's no way she'll abandon you,."

Steve sighed. "You're right."

"And doesn't she also deserve the right to know where she came from?" Thor added, and Steve shot her a dark look.

"I don't know why people treat you like you're stupid." He said randomly. "You're like…Ghandi." Steve furrowed his brows. "Or Dumbledore."

Thor grinned. "But better-looking." He agreed, and Steve laughed.

"Of course!" He nodded. "And then he slumped. "But Morris doesn't want to tell her who he is yet."

"Another secret?" Thor frowned. "You are keeping too much from her. She will not be happy when she finds out."

"I know." Steve wilted. "But!" He straightened. "She kept things from me as well, so she can't be TOO butt-hurt about it!"

Thor made a face at the word butt-hurt, but tilted his head. "What secret?" He prodded.

"Some pretty boy she met at her Manhattan Project thing." Steve muttered, and Thor stiffened.

"Really?" He asked lightly. "What about him?"

"She's dating him." Steve grumbled, and Thor choked.

"What?!" He asked, aghast.

"Yeah!" Steve waved his hands around once more. "And he's actually a nice guy, has a kid sister and is a firefighter," Thor's look of shock relaxed into one of relief at that news. "But it's another person who is trying to steal her from me!"

Thor chuckled, and Steve shot him a dark look.

"Come, friend." Thor clapped Steve on the back. "I can't help with that problem, but I do have a way for you to forget all your woes."

Steve stood. "Some kind of asgardian secret?" He asked hopefully.

"Better." Thor promised.

And as the two left the bar after Steve paid his outrageous tab, the bar tender heaved a sigh of relief.

He'd still have SOMETHING to serve his customers that night.

* * *

 **Steve trying to get drunk and not being able to is one of my absolute favorite things, haha.**

 **Why was Thor so freaked by the thought of Harper dating someone from her Manhattan Project? Does he know something we don't?**

 **...Yeah, Probably!**

 **Next chapter up in a mo!**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **LLAP,**

 **~CLC~**


	10. Homeless

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

 **Steve and the Professor**

Steve stared apprehensively at the large college campus that Harper insisted was "perfectly safe", and "not a death trap", but Steve knew better. The place was crawling with…youths, and punks, and…learning happened here…it was obviously a major danger zone.

Nonetheless, the good father he was, he'd promised to retrieve Harper's homework for her, and thusly that meant he needed to probably actually go into the building.

So Steve, who always jumped at a challenge, sighed heavily and got out of his vehicle. Though many obstacles attempted to take him out, (read: a skateboard, a dog, and a few ginormous backpacks) he somehow made it to room 216, and forgive him for bursting into the classroom and slamming the door shut behind him in relief…he's an old man.

"Are you alright there?" A dry warm voice asked, and Steve straightened, gaze moving to the front of the room, where a tall brunette woman with warm brown eyes sat at a desk, stacks of paper in front of her.

Steve blinked a few times. The woman was STUNNING.

She raised a brow. "Are you Harper's dad, then?" She asked slowly, and Steve snapped out of his daze.

"Oh! Uh, yeah, that's me." Steve grinned bashfully and started moving forward. "You must be Professor Johnson."

The woman grinned. "Please, call me Laura." She stood as well. "How's Harper recovering?"

Steve grimaced.

"That well?" Laura smiled, and Steve chuckled. "She's doing great." He explained, "She'll be up and about in no time."

"But?" Laura asked.

"But she wants to be up and about NOW," Steve rolled his eyes. "She's ready to get back to the grind."

Laura nodded. "That sounds like Harper," She agreed. She pulled out a file. "I have the assignments she needs to complete for my class here, and I also took the liberty of contacting her other teachers and gathering the work she needs to complete for those classes as well." She handed the file to Steve, who looked surprised.

"That's really great of you to do that," Steve thanked, and Laura shrugged.

"Harper's one of those students who genuinely wants to be here, and you can tell." She explained. "She makes my job as a professor more enjoyable as well."

Steve grinned. "She's just like that." He agreed. He looked down at the file. "Well, I ah, better," he frowned, "Is this language homework? He frowned and tilted his head, and Laura moved from behind her desk to peer over Steve's shoulder. She snickered.

"No, that's math." She corrected. Steve shot her a look.

"But there are letters." He argued.

Laura smiled. "Math has letters."

Steve looked back down at the paper with a frown. "Letters in math." He shook his head. "Next you're going to tell me they put math in science."

Laura bit her lip and looked away, taking a moment to calm herself down, before looking back at Steve. He looked so sincere, that she couldn't help it.

She laughed.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Alright, I don't even want to know. I'm not revered for my math or science skills."

Laura shook her head. "No, probably not," She agreed, looking him over.

Steve missed the innuendo, too focused was he on glaring once more at the homework in front of him.

"I'm gonna need a tutor in order to tutor her." He complained.

Laura snickered. "I hear that a lot, actually." She moved back to her desk. "Well, my door is always open if Harper, or anyone else," She winked, "needs help understanding anything."

Steve smiled. "I'll keep that in mind. It was very nice meeting you, Professor Laura." He winked.

She smiled back just as warmly. "Right back atcha."

It wasn't until Steve was on his way home that he realized the pretty science professor may have actually been flirting with him.

"Well," Steve smirked.

"I still got it."

* * *

 **Team Bonding**

"Okay, who picked an art museum?" Tony grumbled to Bruce.

Bruce shot Tony a wounded look. "I did."

Tony winced. "Great idea. Art, yay."

"It's actually really fascinating." Avery spoke up, pushing his glasses onto his nose. It had taken a few weeks of running into doors, but eventually he'd admitted that his eyesight was horrendous and he really needed glasses…IAS hadn't let him wear them, they'd said it had ruined his image. Eventually Harper had forced him to admit his need for them, and after the Avengers had told him it was all good, he'd brought his out. "Art is our way of understanding the emotions and priorities of eras that we'll ever see or get to be a part of. Through art, we get as close to feeling what they did as we can."

Tony shot Avery a nerd. "For as good-looking as you are, you're a nerd."

Avery made a face. "You're saying nerds have to look a certain way?"

"Well…no." Tony shrugged. "They just don't usually come in your size."

Scottie snorted. "They come in mine?"

Tony grinned. "Exactly.

Scottie was small and slim where Avery was tall and broad, dark-haired where Avery was blonde and between the two of them, Scottie looked more nerd than Avery.

The opposite was true.

While Avery COULD kick your butt if he wanted to…he'd rather be studying butterflies or taking apart Tony's robots, (Which tony was equal parts happy and irritated about,) and while Scottie could hack his way into the government files with a toothpick and some baby oil, he'd rather be playing baseball or kicking your butt at literally any video game in existence.

So while Tony rolled his eyes and made fun of the naked portraits with Scottie, Bruce and Avery bonded over art appreciation. And afterwords, when Tony and Scottie fought over who could eat the most burgers, Bruce and Avery watched in disgust.

So a good day, for everyone involved.

* * *

"Alright." Clint shot Thor and Will a look. "Let's get our story straight. If anyone asks, we were where?"

"Barney's Bar and Grill." Thor answered promptly. "Will ate three burgers and we had a few beers."

Clint nodded approvingly. "And after?"

"We went and watched the monster truck rally across town." Will responded. "I even have the ticket stubs we stole as proof." He held up three wrinkled tickets.

"Right." Clint agreed. "If they ask why we're back so late?"

"We were so pumped up from the pure manliness radiating from the event that we felt the need to go to a man-infested diner and ingest a manly amount of red meat." Thor issued out the explanation promptly.

Clint winced. "Yes…but said in a way that doesn't scream "WE ARE MEN" so loudly." He corrected. He turned to face his two partners in crime sternly.

"Alright." He said after a moment. "I think we're ready.

And the three of them hurried to the ticket desk where Will smiled bright and said,

"Three for Legally Blonde: the musical please."

* * *

"You think Harper's okay?" Steve asked, worriedly eyeing his phone.

Jake snorted. "I think she's perfectly fine." He promised. "She's probably eating you out of house and home, right now."

Steve's eyes widened. "I didn't go shopping yesterday." He blurt out. "What if she's hungry for something we're out of?" He grimaced. "Maybe I should run by the store; drop a few things off…"

Tasha shared a bewildered look with Jake and Dave.

"Uh…Cap?" Dave spoke up slowly. "You do realize that Harper's 18? I think she can take care of herself."

"But she's recuperating." Steve argued.

"From a bullet wound, yes." Tasha agreed. "But she's healing remarkably well and if you go home and bug her she may throttle you to death."

Steve grimaced, but Jake nodded. "And then she'll have to recuperate in jail. Because she was arrested." Jake paused. "For murdering you," He added.

Dave's phone beeped and he held it up with a smirk. "Look, cap, she just texted me-"

Steve snatched Dave's phone out of his hand so fast Dave flinched.

 _Tell him to stop worrying….i can feel it from all the way over here._

 _FATHER I am FINE._

 _Enjoy the game…._

 _Geez._

Steve sighed and rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, I get it." He handed Dave his phone back. "I'll try and enjoy myself."

Dave, Jake, and Tasha shared a relieved look, and settled into their amazing seats.

Steve could enjoy himself right?

It was a baseball game…and he LOVED baseball.

It was only two minutes before he sighed.

"Harper won't go to jail." He decided. "Morris wouldn't let that happen." He stood. "I'll just run home, and be back before the third inning-"

"STEVE." Dave hissed.

"ROGERS." Jake added.

"SIT." Tasha demanded, and the three of them ended the command simultaneously,

"DOWN."

Steve sat.

Jake tilted his head. "Is that what this is all aobut?" He asked suddenly.

Steve took on a hunted look. "What?"

"You're smothering her right now because you're overcompensating." Jake guessed.

Steve looked pointedly away. Tasha nodded slowly.

"Harper's real dad is here now, and he wants to be a part of her life." She inferred. "So she doesn't really NEED you anymore."

Steve crossed his arms.

"And you're trying to make yourself unreplaceable." Jake shook his head. "You're smothering her."

Steve made a face. "But I do it out of love." He argued.

"Well, you can't love her if you're dead." Tasha added bluntly. "So back off."

Steve huffed, but nodded.

"Fine." He agreed.

Dave patted him sympathetically on the back, and Steve finally allowed himself to enjoy the game.

The others couldn't complain when he called Harper as soon as the game ended…honestly they thought that he would've caved way before then.

* * *

 **Forged Files**

"Harper Kennedy," Morris stood, watching the grinning teen approach his desk. "You are supposed to be at home." He stressed. "I said a week."

"And it's been five days." Harper countered. "I feel fine, I'm horribly bored, and my Dad's busy bonding with boys and doing boy things." She leaned on his desk. "At this point, I'll do anything…filing papers, stitching up dead bodies, dealing with Mrs. Whithers crazy complaints,"

"Oh ho ho!" Morris grinned. "Don't say anything dear, I might give you the most tedious, mind-numbing job I can think of!"

"I stand by what I said." Harper grinned. "ANYTHING."

Morris crossed his arms and thought for a moment. Then he nodded. "Alright follow me."

Harper smirked, and followed the man to the filing room.

"Well this is…" Harper furrowed her brows. "A paper tornado. What happened?"

Honestly?" Morris shrugged. "I don't even know. It's been like this for years. Fancy a challenge?" He grinned, and Harper winked.

"Do you know me?" She countered, and with a jaunty salute and a whispered good lucky, Morris left her to it.

Harper made a face at the teetering towers of files, then she nodded.

She could do this.

* * *

"How's it going in….whoa." Morris paused in the file room, shocked. He had to walk back out the door to check and make sure he'd gone to the right room.

Harper shot him a look. "What?"

"It's like a completely different room!" He grinned, looking at the stacks of paper, all divided and organized into some semblance of order, and Harper, standing in the middle of all of it. "I didn't even know there were filing cabinets in here." He looked around, impressed.

Harper shrugged. "Eh…I like to organize things." She shrugged. "It soothes me." She brightened. "Oh hey! I found something that might interest you." Morris raised a brow as Harper handed her a file.

"It's mostly blank," Harper apologized, "Looks like whoever caught the case didn't much care seeing as the vic was," She made a face, "homeless. But!" She brightened. "It sounds like the vic was worried about a friend of hers who'd gone missing…said that it had been happening all over town, and she was worried about a serial killer…" Harper shrugged. "But they didn't take her seriously." Morris eyed the file seriously.

"That's just the initial report." Harper added after a moment. "Looks like she came in a few more times, but that file isn't here. I checked."

"But we have a case number." Morris smiled. "Which means I can find the other reports. This is good work, Kennedy." He complimented, and Harper winked.

"All in a days work." Harper brushed off airily, and Morris hurried off.

* * *

"So we have a case number." Morris glared down at the bottom of his desk. "But I don't have the authority to access the files."

Harper, a few hours later and filled with the glow of success, stared sympathetically down at the pouting detective.

"Give me the file number." She asked, hand out.

"What?" Morris looked at her blearily.

"Give me the file number." She repeated brightly.

Morris frowned but handed over the numbers, and Harper slid the paper into her pocket.

"I'll get you your files." She promised.

"How?" Morris asked suspiciously, and Harper winked.

"Don't ask questions you don't want to hear the answer to." She advised.

Morris smiled. "You heading out then?"

"Yep!" Harper grinned. "It's 8pm, you should come with me."

"It's 8?" Morris stood abruptly. "You should've left three hours ago! Your dad must be freaking out."

"Nah." Harper disagreed. "He's only called me like thirteen times."

Morris raised a brow.

Harper grinned. "He has no chill." She leaned against his desk. "So? He said you're invited over for dinner if you want."

"Oh no." Morris shook his head immediately. "I couldn't impose," he tried, and Harper shook her head.

"He said to tell you he insists, and he made tamales, so you have to come." Harper grinned. "It's a Mexican joke."

"Yeah, I caught that." Morris chuckled. "Thanks."

Harper nodded cheerfully. "Anytime." She tilted her head. "So. Dinner?" She prompted.

Morris tilted his own head. He knew very well that she would stand there smiling brightly at him until he agreed to go with her, so he stood and grabbed his jacket.

"Tamales it is."

And when Harper beamed and pushed her arm into the crook of his elbow, Morris smiled and admitted, if only to himself, that it wasn't really that hard of a decision to make.

* * *

 **Morris and Harper are adorable...but not as adorable as Steve and Harper, of course!**

 **Plot and crisis continue to slowly appear, yay! Next two chapters up next Wednesday!**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **LLAP,**

 **~CLC~**


	11. Plague

**OH MY WORD I HAVE NO EXCUSES AND MANY APOLOGIES.**

 **Take four chapters right away while I hide in disgrace. :(**

 **Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

"Hey guys!" Harper threw open the doors to the training room, and the Avengers and Team Two stopped mid-fight.

"Harper!" Will was the first one to Harper's side, grinning. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Great!" Harper bounced a little. "Especially since the warden finally freed me from my prison."

Steve rolled his eyes as he entered the room. "Warden? Really?" He nudged Harper's shoulder. "I made you stay home for a week so your body could recover. Seven days."

Harper made a face. "Seven days? Really?" She shrugged. "it felt like longer." She smiled at the group around her. "So how's everyone doing?"

"Awesome." Tony smirked. "Team Two might be improving, but we can still kick their butts."

"Watch it old man." Avery pointed a finger at Tony. "You'll regret that next capture the flag."

Tony mock-shivered. "Oh..I'm so scared."

"Wow…you guys are children." Harper snickered. Then her gaze turned calculating. "So... you guys aren't tired of each other yet?" She asked slowly, and Thor narrowed his eyes.

"Why?" He asked.

"Well…" Harper hedged. "I was kind of wondering if I could borrow team two for the day."

Thor's eyes narrowed further, and the rest of the Avengers did the same, thought Team Two brightened.

"Why?" Thor asked again.

"Because I miss them?" Harper tried, and when it didn't work, she rolled her eyes.

"I want their help with a small re-con mission." When Steve opened his mouth worriedly, Harper raised a hand. "It's not illegal – technically," she began, "and it's for school. There's no threat to them or me, it's more of an experiment than anything else."

"What is it?" Steve asked, crossing his arms.

Harper smirked. "It's on a need to know." She winked. "So can I borrow them?"

Steve looked to the Avengers, who shrugged.

"It would be nice to have them out of the house for a while." Tony shrugged.

"Nice for all of us." Tasha nodded her head.

Bruce thought about it. "We haven't really had much separate bonding time in a while." He admitted, and Thor just shrugged. Clint opened his mouth, but Harper beat him to it.

"Actually, can we steal Clint too?" She asked, and Clint grinned and nodded his head emphatically.

"Pretty please, papa Steve?" He joked and with a heavy sigh, Steve relented.

"Fine." He acknowledged. "Go. Have fun." Harper grinned at Team Two and they whooped and rushed for the door, Clint right there with them.

"Hey!" Steve called out before Harper could escape. She turned slowly, and Steve pointed a finger at her.

"Don't die." He warned. "I mean it."

Harper smiled widely. "No promises." She answered, and then she was gone.

Steve huffed and shook his head.

"That girl will be the death of me." He admitted, and the avengers smiled.

"Well…" Tony spread his hands. "It looks like we have a day off."

Thor's smile slowly widened. "Whatever shall we do?" He murmured.

The Avengers shared a look.

They knew exactly what they were going to do.

* * *

"Oh my gosh, I forgot how much I love this stuff!" Tasha groaned in delight, mouth full.

"How is it that such a creepy, run down restaurant has the best tasting stuff in the world.?!" Thor agreed, mouth also full.

"Maybe because of the emotions we associate with it?" Bruce asked, staring reverently at his plate.

"Don't analyze it." Tony warned. "Just enjoy it." He closed his eyes as he inhaled deeply, and Steve nodded in agreement.

"Enjoy its delicious-y goodness." He moaned, stuffing his face.

"Oh Shawarma." Tasha lifted her food. "Why are you so good?"

The Avengers were the only patrons in the small run-down restaurant, and the table they occupied sat in the very center of the building. The table was covered in plates of food and the Avengers eagerly chowed down.

"So," Tony swallowed heavily. "How're you doing about the whole day of the dads?" Tony turned to Steve, who grimaced.

"I'm coping." He admitted. "It's tough realizing I have to share, but"

"Harper's life sucks." Thor blurted out, and the table shot him confused looks. He cleared his throat.

"I only mean her life USED to suck." He rephrased slowly. "So doesn't she deserve all the love and people who care about her as she can get?" he reasoned. The Avengers nodded in understanding.

"Right." Steve nodded. "Right. So, I mean, Clint, who watched her from birth to six, and then Coulson, who watched her from 9 to twelve, and then me, who's cared for her for less then a year, and then Morris, who lost out all those years and is just trying to make up for it?" Steve shrugged. "I feel for the guy. So we're working on it."

"Does Harper know about…" Tasha twirled a finger. "Daddy Morris?"

Steve grimaced.

"Another secret?" Tony shook his head. "You realize you're going to drown in those, right?"

Steve shrugged. "I know." He admitted. "It's just…. How do I tell her?"

"You blurt it out at random." Bruce advised. "Let it all hit the fan and just watch where you step."

Steve made a face. "Sounds messy." He argued.

"At this point," Tony admitted. "Every tactic is going to be messy."

Steve shrugged in agreement, and Thor brightened. "I know!" He said. "Have Tony tell Harper about her dad, and you take over helping Pepper with wedding."

Tony jerked up right. "Brilliant!" He agreed. "I'll let Harper beat me up and you deal with flowers and cakes and wines." Tony tilted his head. "Actually, I'll still do the cake part, but you do the rest!"

Steve raised an eyebrow. "You want me to help Pep with the wedding?"

"Not in so many words." Tony shrugged. "But I DON'T want to help with wedding stuff anymore, so I'm not too picky about my alternatives."

"You don't want to marry the love of your life?" Tasha asked, confused.

"No, I DO," Tony shrugged. "I just didn't realize the wedding stuff would be such a big deal."

"It's just a way bigger deal than usual because of her hormone imbalance." Bruce shrugged.

"No." Tasha shook her head. "It's always a big deal." Tony made a face, then turned to Steve.

"So?" He asked brightly. "Trade?"

Steve thought it over, then shook his head. "Sorry, no can do." He winced. "Harper needs to hear it from me."

"Agreed." Thor raised his Shawarma. "You are most noble." He tilted his head in Steve's direction, and Steve winced.

"Really?" He made a face. "Because I don't really feel like it."

* * *

"Hey Morris!" Harper hopped happily in front of Morris' desk, and he jumped.

"Harper." He said slowly, raising his face to eye Harper speculatively. "And friends?" He peered around Harper to take in the teens surrounding her. He raised a brow at Clint, who shrugged.

"It's 12pm." Harper informed brightly. "That means you get to take a break." She winked slowly, and Morris narrowed his eyes.

"Usually." He agreed. "But I'm really behind on paperwork, so I was just planning on eating at my desk.

Harper shook her head emphatically. "You don't want to do that." She argued. "You want to come eat with US." She winked slowly again, and Morris looked to Clint. Clint nodded slowly.

"Alright then." Morris stood and reached for his coat. "Sounds like a plan."

Harper grinned, grabbing his arm and pulling him out the door with her.

Morris heaved a sigh, hid a smile, and let Harper lead him away.

"So what's going on?" He asked. Harper shushed him and just pushed him down the street.

"Just wait." Harper promised. "We're almost there."

"Almost where?" Morris asked.

"Harper and Steve's place." Clint answered.

Morris made a face. "Really?" He asked. "Why are we going there?"

"You'll see." Clint shrugged.

"And you're welcome." Will grinned.

Morris frowned. "Who are you guys?"

"Oh!" Avery looked surprised. "I forgot we haven't officially met." He nodded. "I'm Avery." He pointed to the rest of the group. "Will is the one in the sick Nike's, Scottie's wearing the hoodie, the old guy is Clint, Dave's on your left, and the Black one's Jake."

"Racist." Harper chastised.

Avery frowned. "But the black one IS Jake." He shrugged.

Jake smirked. "It's cool." He relented. "Avery's allowed."

Harper huffed, but said nothing else, opening the door to her apartment building and herding the group up the stairs.

"Here we are!" Harper beamed as she let everyone in. Morris didn't need to look around, he'd been there before, but the others took their time, checking the place out.

"So what's going on?" Morris asked, and Harper grinned, pulling Morris into the living room and in front of a large box.

He frowned down at it for a moment. Then his eyes widened. "Is this what I think it is?" He asked.

Harper nodded. "I told you I would get it." She said smugly, and Morris smiled.

"That you did." He admitted.

"So….what is it?" Avery peered around Harper's shoulder and she shrugged.

"It's a set of files that all seem to be related." Harper began. "Missing persons reports, that sort of thing."

Avery nodded slowly. "What's the big deal?"

"They were all homeless." Morris continued, opening the box and pulling out files. "So nobody really looked into the disappearances. They just wrote shoddy reports and threw them in a box."

Will's face darkened, and Team Two shared a look.

"Someone's stealing homeless people?" Will asked.

"And no one's looking into it?" Jake frowned.

"Yep." Harper nodded solemnly. "Morris thinks somethings up, but his captain wouldn't give him the files."

"Which is why we went and got them." Scottie added. "Makes sense." He moved to plop on the couch. "So what are we looking for?"

Morris looked at the teenagers around him in surprise. They all waited for his orders, and he shook his head.

"You don't have to help me." He shrugged. "Getting the files was help enough. I can take it from here."

"Morris." Clint interrupted. "You're looking at a roomful of people who knows what it means to be invisible; who've all done our time on the streets." He shrugged. "You have help whether you want it or not. Might as well put it to work."

Morris huffed, smiling. "Alright." He nodded. "Okay. Let's split up these files and see if we can find some sort of pattern."

Harper grinned and took the first pile, and Team Two, Morris and Clint settled in to help a group of people who no one had ever really tried to help before.

* * *

Steve opened his front door with a weary sigh, ready to relax in his quiet home.

Of course, when stepped inside, it was to a living room filled with people and paper and…string?

Steve stared confused at Team Two sprawled all over his living room, at Clint laying on his table, squinting down at a stack of papers, at Morris and Harper talking in low tones near the bathroom. When Harper caught his gaze, she grinned bashfully and gestured him over.

"So…what's going on?" Steve asked, perplexed.

"We're helping Morris with a case." Harper explained. Steve raised an eyebrow.

"The homeless person case?" Steve guessed, and Harper nodded.

"Yeah. And it's bad, pops." She admitted. "Did you know that over the course of the last ten years nearly 300 homeless people have gone missing; just disappeared of the face of the planet?"

"And no one knows where they went." Morris added grimly.

Steve's eyes widened. "It sounds like you have an epidemic on your hands."

"More like a plague." Harper rolled her eyes.

Steve sent a glance around his busy apartment, sighing as he saw his quiet night disappearing before his eyes. He turned back to Morris and Harper, rolling up his sleeves. "Alright." He sighed.

"What can I do to help?"

Morris and Harper shared a grin, and Steve's heart sunk.

What did that mean?

* * *

 **Yay, more plot, and fun stuff! And Morris and Harper! And Steve...worrying about those secrets that are about to blow up in his face...yay?**

 **Next chapter up immediately!**

 **~CLC~**


	12. Philanthropy

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

"Hello?!" Steve squeezed his phone between his ear and shoulder as he used both hands to throw on his uniform.

"Father." Steve winced at the anger in Harper's voice.

"I know we were supposed to be there twenty minutes ago," He began, but Harper interrupted him.

"No, you were supposed to be here an HOUR ago, the event started twenty minutes ago, and my audience is about ready to start a riot of they don't get their promised Avengers!" Steve grimaced.

"There was a bit of a problem," Steve hedged, and Harper growled.

"I don't care." She snapped. "If everyone isn't here and SOON, I'll make all of her run exercises for the next four months, no breaks!"

"Harp," Steve tried, but the dial tone interrupted him. "Crap." He made a face.

"GUYS!" He yelled down the hallway. "I don't care if you're butt naked, we're leaving in five minutes!"

* * *

"Morris!"

Detective Morris stood in the wing of the stage, dressed nicely in gray slacks and a white button up, sleeves rolled up to his elbow and a smile on his face.

He turned to the Avengers and Team two, shaking his head. "You guys are in so much trouble."

Tony huffed. "Yeah, yeah, we know. We got here as fast as we could."

Thor crossed his arms. "I blame Will."

Will scoffed. "It's not my fault!" He adjusted his uniform and patted his hair down. "SOMEONE threw out all my clothes the other day, of course I had to retaliate!"

"By spending the night before Harper's event throwing 6,000 pounds of birdseed onto my car?" Tony argued.

"I didn't think you'd spend the rest of the morning planning your revenge, thus making us late!" Will snapped.

"Guys!" Steve interrupted. "Cool it!" He turned to Morris. "Where's Harper?" He asked.

Morris grinned. "She's stalling."

The group in front of him made similar expressions of confusion, and Morris turned back to the stage…

Where Harper stood, wearing a pretty black dress with her hair pulled up into a curly bun at the back of her head, gesturing wildly, barefoot. The audience watched and listened, the children seated at Harper's feet and looking up at her with adoration as Harper explained her heart behind the Manhattan project, and the Avengers listened closely.

Harper's direction was focused on the children as she spoke.

"The Manhattan is a big project, but it's an important one." She spoke sincerely, eyes bright. "Why?"

"Because it helps people!" One child called out, and Harper beamed.

"Exactly! I started this project because I believed, and I still believe, that superheroes come in all shapes and sizes." She winked at the kids. "And we all have different jobs. Captain America and the Avengers fought the aliens,"

The audience cheered, and Harper nodded with a smile. "But they left a mess."

"Shouldn't they have cleaned it up then?" A little girl asked, and Harper knelt down to look that little girl in the face.

The adults laughed, and a few nodded. "Maybe they should've." Harper admitted. "But they did a big job. And they gave us, ALL of us, an opportunity to be heroes ourselves."

The kids looked at each other excitedly. "Really?" One asked, and Harper grinned.

"The Alien attack left a lot of people hurting and in need. And a hero is someone who is noble and brave." Harper stood. "Maybe we can't fight aliens." She looked to the adults in the room. "But we can help a person in need. We can open our hearts to those who lost everything, and we can help them get back on their feet. I'm not talking charity anymore." Harper shook her head.

"The Attack is proof that we are not alone in this world. The Avengers are reminders that the only way we can fight back is together. When one of us falls, we all fall. As a community who has suffered many losses, we need to band together, and support each other, and remember that everyone is important, whether they have everything or nothing. The Manhattan Project was created solely to provide those with everything a chance to share and those with nothing a helping hand. As I said before, when one of us falls, we all fall. And so let us hold out our hands to our neighbors and come together as a community, and when you do that, whether you donate time or help financially or," Harper looked to the kids one more, "or even if you are just friendly and tell someone you hope they have a good day, When you care about your fellow man and you spend the time to help where you can, you become a hero to someone else." Harper smiled. "Everyone in this room has the potential for greatness, to do good." Harper winked. "In other words, Everyone in this room, big or small, can be a hero." Harper put on hand on her hip. "I welcome you all to The Manhattan Project's new permanent facility, and hope today will be a fresh start for Manhattan and the beginning of a community of Superheroes. Let's have a SUPER day."

Harper smiled and lowered her mic, and the entire room burst into applause, standing with wide smiles. Morris and Steve shared a prideful smile and clapped excitedy, and the Avengers and Team Two clapped as well, impressed. Scottie whistled loudly, and Harper turned, catching sight of the Avengers. She sent them a pointed look, then turned back to the large crowd.

"And speaking of Superheroes," Harper grinned wryly. "The heroes of the hour and the newest team to take on the bad guys, The Avengers and Team Two!"

The applause and cheers increased, and Steve shot his team a look as he led them onto the stage. Harper bowed lightly as she exited the stage, send Morris a dry smile.

"Way to stall." Morris joked, and Harper rolled her eyes.

"I'll yell at them later for being late." She shrugged. "Overall, we're not TOO far off schedule."

"Luckily for you I scheduled in a grace period for the Avengers stupidity." Morris shot Harper's Manhattan Project Assistant a look. The kid was tall, scrawny, and had really light curly blond hair. His face was almost permanently set into a sneer, and his light blue eyes were always filled with thinly veiled disdain.

Harper grinned and crossed her arms. "You know them so well, Liam." She joked, and "Liam" hissed.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" Declan appeared at Liam's shoulder, and Liam rolled his eyes.

Liam had a strong hate for everyone barring Harper, who he seemed deeply impressed with, and Declan, who he tolerated.

Honestly, the kid gave Morris the heeby jeebies. There was just something about him….But Harper liked him, so he must have SOME redeeming qualities.

"What's next on the agenda?" Harper asked brightly, and Liam looked down at his clipboard.

"After the buffoons speak, Declan will go dismiss the crowd to the various booths and activities and open up the "Tell Me Your Story" rooms,"

"Where The Avengers will take residence and Team Two and I will take the opportunity to mingle over at the booths were we might be able to find the At Risk and see if they've seen or know anything about the missing homeless." Morris added.

Harper nodded. "Exactly." She looked down at her phone. "Crisis over at the Home Network Table." She shot the men a smile. "I'll go take care of this. Declan, you're with Morris, Liam, make sure the heroes get where they need to go," She pointed a finger at him, "And be nice." She hurried off, and Declan shook his head.

"She's amazing." He admitted.

"I agree." Morris shot the young man who his daughter-who-didn't-even-know-she-was-his-daughter was dating.

Liam sniffed. "She's tolerable….for a human.

Morris looked at Liam out of the corner of his eye, and Liam just winked.

Where had the kid even come from?!

* * *

"How's it going?" Steve appeared at Morris side, and Morris jumped slightly.

"Way to sneak up on a guy!" He muttered. "Warn a bro first."

Steve grinned. "Right. Sorry." He peered around Morris shoulder to eye the busy room. "I'm trying to avoid Harper," he admitted, and Morris smirked.

"Not ready to listen to her chewing you out?" He guessed, and Steve huffed.

"I know, I know, I deserve it," He admitted. "I'm just not ready for it."

Morris rolled his eyes. "How's the Tell Me Your Story going?" He asked, helpfully changing the subject.

Steve brightened. "It's going really well." He admitted. "The stories can be sad, but they're mostly uplifting, and really hopeful. Harper's doing good things here."

"Agreed." Morris nodded. "She's got a big heart and a good head on her shoulders." He smiled a little sadly. "It's a wonderful thing to see."

Steve patted Morris on the shoulder. "Hey." Steve's brow furrowed. "Aren't you from Chicago?"

Morris nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

Steve shrugged. "There was a woman I spoke to today who was from that area." Steve peered around the crowd, then he pointed a finger. "There she is. She sounded like she might know a thing or two about what's going on on your streets, too."

Morris caught sight of the woman, and his eyes widened.

"Carly?" He blurt out, and Steve nodded.

"That's her name! Hey, where ya going?"

But Morris was already pushing through the crowd to get to the blond haired woman making her way towards the exit.

As fast as he pushed through though, by the time he made it toward the front doors, Carly was long gone.

"So who was that?" Steve asked, appearing at Morris's shoulder once more.

Morris chuckled.

"That… was my high school girlfriend." He admitted.

"Ooohhh." Steve made a face.

"That's weird."

Morris scoffed.

"Tell me about it."

* * *

Two days later...

"So, Miss Kennedy, how do you feel?"

"Well, seeing as I was shot nearly two weeks ago…I feel surprisingly amazing." Harper smiled brightly up at her doctor.

He nodded and wrote something down. "Good, good." He looked down at Harper and pushed up his glasses. "Your test results have all come back positive, and I think we're ready to take off all of your restrictions."

"You mean I can go back to school?" Harper grinned, and her doctor nodded.

"Yes." He agreed wryly. "You can go back to school." Harper threw up in a fist in victory, and the doctor rolled his eyes.

"You make sure to thank your father for this." The doctor advised. "His donation is the main factor of your quick recovery."

Harper's brow furrowed. "Donation?" She queried, and the doctor nodded.

"Your biological father's blood donation." The doctor clarified. "Detective Morris?"

Harper's eyes widened in shock. "Morris?" She blurt out.

The doctors eyes narrowed. "Your other father was quite relieved he was there to donate blood, seeing as you share the same DNA and blood type, it made getting you the transfusions faster."

Harper nodded slowly. "Wow…that's great." She squinted. "I have to go now."

The doctor made a face.

"You didn't know Morris was your biological dad." He inferred.

Harper shook her head. "No, I did not."

The doctor winced.

"Oops."

* * *

"Morris."

Morris dropped his keys on his entry table, eyes narrowed.

"Harper." He squinted. "How did you get into my house?"

"How long have you known you were my father?"

Morris made a face. "Oh."

Harper crossed her arms. "Yeah." She said slowly. "Oh."

Morris moved to sit opposite Harper, face solemn. "I found out I had a daughter a few years ago. I found out that daughter was you a few months ago. I found out you already had a…Steve?" Morris narrowed his eyes then shrugged.

"You're my daughter." He said bluntly. "And I was your father. But you already had a dad. I didn't want to mess with that." He shrugged. "You were happy."

"And you're my family." Harper stood. "I had a right to know who you were, and you kept that from me."

Morris made a face. "You're right."

Harper shook her head. "So Steve knows?"

Morris winced.

Harper nodded. "Right then."

She stood and marched toward the door.

"Harper." Morris began, but Harper raised a hand.

"I just…can't right now." She admitted. "Okay?"

Morris sighed. "Okay." He expected Harper to slam the door, but it shut behind her quietly.

So quietly Morris didn't even realize the small click he heard wasn't even the door…but was actually the breaking of the trust between himself…and his daughter.

* * *

 **Harper now knows one of fourteen million things. Will she react well? And what happens when she realizes THIS secret is only the tip of the iceburg? Stay tuned!**

 **~CLC~**


	13. Dinner

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

 **Off**

"Is it just me, or has Harper been a bit…off?" Avery threw the baseball to Steve, who caught it easily.

Steve frowned. "What do you mean?" He asked.

Avery shrugged, catching the ball Steve threw back, and winding up to throw it again. "I dunno. It just seems like Harper's been a little, well…quiet."

"She's been pretty busy." Steve guessed. "Maybe she's just tired?"

"Maybe." Avery frowned. "But I just don't know. Maybe you should talk to her?" He tried.

Steve nodded slowly. "I haven't actually sat down and talked to her in about a week." He admitted. "Since The Manhattan Project event we helped with." He shrugged. "I'll talk to her tonight and see what's up." He promised.

Avery smiled, relieved. "Good." He threw the ball, a little harder than before. "I just want to make sure she's all right…that she's not mad at anyone."

Steve nodded. "I'll check it out…but she doesn't really get mad at people." Then his brow furrowed. "Usually." He hedged.

A thought hit him. Oh god.

Did Harper know something?

Or…Maybe she WAS mad….at HIM.

* * *

 **Mad**

"Are you mad at me?"

Harper looked up from her homework, brow furrowed. "What?" She asked blankly.

Steve took the seat across from Harper at their kitchen table. "Are you mad at me?" He said again.

Harper narrowed her eyes, then closed her binder and clasped her hands together on top of the table.

Uh oh. Bad sign.

"What would I have to be mad at you about?" She asked, voice light.

Another bad sign. Steve winced.

"Uhhhh…I'm not exactly sure." He admitted. "But…you ARE mad at me?"

Harper sighed shoulders slumping.

A third bad sign….Steve was in trouble.

"Steve," Harper began wearily, and Steve's eyes widened.

Steve?! This was SERIOUS.

"I'm not mad at you." She admitted. "I'm…disappointed."

Steve cringed. "Why?"

Harper shook her head. "I thought we said no more secrets?"

Steve bit his lip.

It was much worse than he'd originally thought.

She KNEW.

"We did." He hedged. "And I was going to tell you, I PROMISE, but,"

"But what?" Harper frowned. "You were worried about how I was going to take it? That I would be upset?"

Steve shrugged. "This is a big deal." He tried to explain. "I didn't want to just blurt it out,"

"So you decided not to say anything at all?" Harper shook her head. "Steve….we promised each other, NO MORE SECRETS."

"I know." Steve nodded quickly. "We did."

Harper leaned forward. "Did you think me knowing would change things?" She asked.

Steve shrugged. "It IS kind of a big deal." He admitted.

"Steve." Harper shook her head. "Morris isn't a threat to you, I promise."

"I just," Steve frowned. "Wait…what?"

"Morris is my biological father and I do want to get to know him," Harper shrugged, "But that doesn't mean I'll abandon you for him. You were never a replacement for him, and I won't ditch you now that my "real" dad is here."

Steve frowned. "We're talking about Morris being you're biological dad?" He clarified.

Harper frowned. "What else would we be talking about?"

Steve shook his head slowly. "Nothing?" He tried. Harper's eyes narrowed, so he tried again, less as a question.

"Nothing!" He promised. He frowned. "How'd you find out about Morris?"

Harper smirked. "My doctor brought it up at my check-up a few days ago."

"Oh." Steve nodded slowly. "Does Morris know you know?"

"Oh yeah." Harper nodded matter of fact. "I broke into his house that same day to confront him."

"Broke in?" Steve shook his head. "Harper, that's bad-"

"Well, it's already done." Harper shrugged. "Chill out, dad."

Steve's heart warmed. She knew her real dad was around and wanting a relationship…but HE was still "dad".

Harper smirked when she realized why Steve was smiling so brightly.

"I want to get to know the guy." Harper said again. "But he's not you."

Steve flushed. Then he furrowed his brows. "So…we're good?"

"For now." Harper nodded. "Yeah, we're good."

Steve nodded. "Great!" They were silent for a moment, then he leaned forward. "So…Is it awkward between the two of you?"

"I dunno." Harper admitted. "I've kind of been avoiding him."

"Harp," Steve chastised, and Harper shrugged.

"I know, I know, not the best idea, but I needed time." She admitted. "I'll talk to him soon."

Steve pursed his lips, and Harper raised her hands.

"I promise!" She added. Then she snapped her fingers. "I know! We have that big group dinner tomorrow night? I'll invite him…so everyone can meet the guy."

Steve smiled. "That would be a good idea." He agreed.

"I know!" Harper jumped up. "I'm chock full of those things." She winked. She skipped to her room then paused.

"But we're on the same page now right?" She asked seriously. "Nothing else you want to get off your chest while I'm in a forgiving mood?"

Steve paused. Then he shook his head.

"Nothing I can think of." He said brightly.

"Great. Good." Harper beamed. "Let's keep it that way."

She skipped away, and Steve winced.

Crap.

* * *

 **The Dinner**

"Hey guys."

"Harper!" The table smiled brightly at the last addition to the table, and her guest.

"You guys know Detective Morris," She turned to the suit-clad man behind her. "Also known as my biological father."

"Whoa!" Will joked, standing to shake Morris' hand. "I didn't know those still existed."

"Neither did I," Harper said dryly, taking a seat next to Steve and offering Morris the chair on her other side.

Morris opened his mouth to say something, but Harper waved a hand. "A joke." She smiled at him. "We're cool."

Morris nodded slowly. "Right, Ok." He smiled at the rest of the table. "It's weird to be sitting with all of you." He admitted. "I feel like I'm sitting with royalty."

"Nah, that's just Thor." Tony smirked. "Although Steve and I will be running for the presidency next election."

"We will NOT be," Steve argued. He leaned over Harper to smile at Morris. "We're slightly normal with more dysfunctional pasts than most people." He described, and Morris nodded.

"Accurate summary." He joked.

Harper beamed. "That was the thesis for my history paper." She alerted.

"The one you were practically crying about?" Avery asked.

Harper shrugged. "That's the one."

"Have you got a score back yet?" Scottie asked, passing Tasha the breadsticks. Tasha smiled in thanks and ripped one in half.

"What do you think she got?" Steve smirked. "If she'd gotten anything less than an A the whole world would've heard her cries of rage."

Harper made a face. "Bite me." She punched Steve lightly on the shoulder. "Hey Tony!" She looked over with a bright grin. "The Manhattan project is doing a Turkey Handout for Thanksgiving, and they wanted to know if you felt like donating or walking one of the routes for the night?"

Tony made a face. "Can I get away with donating and not helping with handouts?"

Harper shook her head brightly. "Everyone else has already agreed to take a route." She said, and Tony sighed.

"Fine." He grunted. "I'll do one too." He pointed a finger. "But only because you asked."

Harper grinned, victorious. The conversation at the table turned to other topics, and Harper listened, content to not say anything at the moment. Her grin slowly bled away as she overheard a conversation going on a few feet away.

"Excuse me." A bright female voice spoke up. "Are you the manager?"

"That I am. How may I assist you, miss?"

"This is Beckett." The woman spoke. "He's hungry, and I'd like to order him a meal, but I have somewhere I have to be. Is there any way I can pay for the meal in advance and he can order whatever he'd like?"

The manager paused, not saying anything for a moment. "Sure." He said, his voice slightly less welcoming. "We can do that."

"Wonderful!" The woman spoke brightly. "Beckett, enjoy your meal. Keep warm ok?"

"Thank you miss." A gruff voice answered the woman. "You didn't have to do this. I would've been fine outside."

"Nonsense." The woman brushed away the man's thanks. "It's the holidays. Everyone should be able to eat inside, especially in this weather."

"But this place…" The man tried. "It's fancy. It's too much."

"If anyone deserves to eat in a place like this." The woman spoke firmly. "It's someone who's fought overseas. Now…enjoy your meal."

Harper turned slightly to see the young woman lean over and hug the dark-skinned man who stood next to her, in worn ragged clothing and no shoes. A young woman paying for a homeless war veteran to eat inside? Common human decency wasn't entirely dead.

The young woman hurried away, and after a moment, the manager turned to the man…Beckett.

"I'm sorry sir." The man spoke, all welcome in his voice gone. "But you'll have to leave now."

Beckett frowned. "What?" He said blankly.

"We don't serve your kind here." The manager spoke bluntly.

"But…" the man looked flustered. "She paid for me…you just said it was fine."

"You're making our PAYING customers uncomfortable." The man spat coldly. "And you need to leave."

"Can't I…" the man fumbled for words, "Can't I get something to go?" He asked meekly. "I won't stay, I just…" The man's voice lowered to a mere whisper, as if ashamed. "I just want something to eat."

"If you don't leave now…" the manager threatened. "I will call the police."

Harper sat at enough of an angle to see Beckett's head drop, and he slowly moved toward the exit.

"Harper?"

Harper jumped, turning wildly to Steve, who looked at her in concern. "Are you alright?" He asked. Harper looked down at the hand touching her arm, and a sudden rage welled up in her throat, nearly choking her. "No." She said finally. "No, i'm not." Her eyes snapped up to meet Steve's and he leaned back in shock at something he saw in them. Harper pushed her chair back hard, whirling around to confront the manager.

She would not stand for this.

* * *

Steve didn't lean back in shock so much at what he saw IN Harper's eyes, it was more the COLOR of Harper's eyes.

They'd been normal, then she'd looked down, and her body had stiffened, and when her gaze had snapped back up…

Her eyes had gone violet.

The rest of the table stared in dismay at the chair Harper had shoved out from under her, nearly fifteen feet away and firmly embedded in the wall, plaster falling around it.

"Uh, oh." Tony whispered. Thor stood slowly and looked to where Harper had marched, eyes blazing.

He caught sight the violet color Steve had and immediately pulled out his phone.

The rest of the table stood as well, waiting.

They had no idea what, but SOMETHING had triggered Harper…and for the first time since she'd first been changed…

She'd gone violet.

Uh Oh….was an understatement.

* * *

 **Harper and the Manager**

"Excuse me." Harper's voice was so deep and cold that the manager turned to face her immediately, face falling into a simper.

"Yes ma'am?" He even bowed slightly, in deference to the power radiating off of Harper. "How may I help you this evening?"

Harper's eyes narrowed. "I just so happened to have overhead your conversation just now with this gentlemen," She began, but the manager interrupted her.

"Not to worry miss, he's leaving, now."

"Oh?" Harper raised a brow, fists clenching and unclenching at her sides as she fought to keep her voice light. "So he's already eaten, then?"

The manager frowned. "No miss. I've just informed him that this establishment does not serve,"

"People like him?" Harper frowned, and the manager went silent, watching her uneasily.

"Hmm?" She asked, voice brittle. "Is that how you were intending to finish your sentence?"

The manager inclined his head rather than speak. Harper's eyes narrowed. She turned to Beckett, the man with the dark hair streaked gray, the dirty clothes, the bare feet, and the cornered expression on her face, and despite the rage with which her body still radiated, she shot the man a reassuring smile.

"Going Feral doesn't usually look like this." Scottie whispered, worried.

"Six months ago she had no control;" Tasha added. "She wasn't in her right mind until Steve brought her back to sanity."

"With the help of a few hits to the head." Clint added.

"This?" Scott shook his head. "This is Harper gone violet but with rigid control, able to limit the physical alteration that usually comes,"

"In other words her eyes have changed but her hairs still brown." Will nodded.

"And," Bruce added, eyes bright with fascination, "She has a leash on her power,"

"We can feel it but we're not overcome by her power." Tony nodded. "Which leads us to the conclusion that she's been trained on her abilities between that attack and now."

"Which is impossible." Steve added. "Because she doesn't even know about her abilities."

"I hate to break up this fascinating conversation," Morris broke in, eyes dark. "But what the hell is going on?"

"Good question." Jake patted Morris' arm. "I have a better one. How do we stop her?"

Thor's eyes narrowed. "Leave that to me." He promised, moving slowly one step at a time towards Harper and the two men.

"Beckett, right?" Harper asked lowly. The man nodded. "I overheard you fought overseas. Can I ask when?"

Beckett straightened. "It must've been ten years ago at least," he admitted. "Four years over in Afghanistan."

Harper's smile deepened. "Afghanistan huh?" She shook her head. "That's impressive. My dad knows a little about overseas tours himself."

Beckett frowned, but when Harper turned slightly and inclined her head, Beckett's eyes widened. "Captain." Beckett straightened even more. "It's an honor." Beckett saluted, and after a moment, Steve turned his gaze from Harper to salute Beckett in return.

"The honor is all mine, sir."

Harper turned back to the manager. "THIS is the man you refuse to serve?" She spat lowly. "Because of the way he's dressed?"

The manager's face was pale, but he refused to back down. "He is not suitable for this establishment."

Harper growled. "This man fought for your freedom, and the only reason you can stand here and be a prick is because of all he's sacrificed. You're lack of respect for him and what he's fought for is a disgrace." She moved so that she was standing toe to toe with the manager, and although she stood six inches below him, he was the one who stepped back, intimidated.

"And not only do you refuse to serve him in a restaurant that you merely work for, but you're belittling him and condemning him for his dress and refusing him food that has already been paid for," Harper hissed. "That not only makes you a giant bastard, but it also makes you a criminal."

The manager sputtered. Harper may have terrified him, but no one would call him a bastard with the entire restaurant watching.

"How dare you!" He crossed his arms. "That man, no mattered what he did however many years ago, is the only one at fault for where he is now, and I refuse to be reprimanded by a child for doing my job."

Harper's eyes narrowed into slits. "You have no idea what that man has been through." She spoke lowly. "Or how he got to be where he is. You have no right to judge him nor condemn him. You're only job is to feed him the meal that's been paid for."

The manager crossed his arms. "He didn't pay for it."

"It doesn't matter. This soldier is entitled to a warm meal and a table, and if you refuse to give him one, you are committing a crime."

"This man is entitled to exactly what he has." The manager leaned over, face red and voice raspy in anger. "Nothing."

Harper's eyes flashed brightly enough that Beckett took a few steps back and the manager turned a little wary. The restaurant watched in eager anticipation to see what would happen next. Thor stood but a few steps away, ready to intervene should it become necessary, but overall appalled at the managers gall and if Harper didn't punch the man in the face…Thor just might.

But instead of punching the man, Harper took a step back and pulled out her phone.

"What are you doing?" The manager asked warily.

Harper shot him a look, eyes still violet, but dimmer, controlled, shades of brown peeking through her irises.

"Calling the police."

"Why?" The manager asked.

"To report a theft." She looked up. "You can explain your actions to them."

The manager growled and ripped Harper's phone out of her hand, and with a growl of her own, Harper ripped it from HIS hand and flung it to the side. She grabbed the front of the managers shirt and lifted him into the air, snarling. Then two hands were on her shoulders and forcing her to turn around.

Beyond sanity now, Harper released the manager and whirled around to face her new threat, shoving him hard in the chest.

Steve and the rest of the table looked worriedly to where Harper's phone now sat, indented in the wall and surrounded by broken plaster and peeling paint.

Thor jumped forward to stop the manager from causing harm to Harper, but quickly changed direction as he saw Harper's control snap and her eyes brighten once more, only to find himself thrown backwards into a large table.

He shook his head and lunged forward, not intending to hurt Harper but determined to stop her from hurting anyone else, and Harper's hands flung forward and a bright blue light hit Thor right in the chest, throwing him backwards once more, this time through a wall.

* * *

 **Liam/Loki**

The Avengers and team two hurried forward, but a tall thin teen burst in through the front doors and strode forward.

"Liam?" Steve asked dumbly.

Morris shuddered reflexively.

The creepy kid….Morris' eyes widened as he watched the teen stride towards Harper, hands covered in the same bright blue that Harper had just hurled at Thor. With each step he took something about him changed; his hair darkened, and straightened, and lengthened, he grew taller and (slightly) broader, his eyes went from a bright blue to a brighter green, and his clothing went from human to Asgardian.

By the time the creepy "kid" was gently placing his hands on each of Harper's cheeks, he looked completely different, and Steve's spoke again, voice incredulous.

"Loki?"

Thor climbed slowly out of the wall and moved to his team; shaking his head slowly.

"What's your crazy bro doing here?" Clint hissed.

"And how come he can get that close to Harper?" Steve added.

"Also; why do I get the feeling he's been here awhile?" Tony crossed his arms.

"Because he has." Thor interrupted the group. "I'll explain later. Suffice to say, he ran into Harper some months ago, she found out who he was, befriended him, and this?" Thor turned to Loki who's hands were still on Harper's cheeks and who was speaking lowly. As he spoke, Harper's eyes dimmed and slowly began to change color until they were once-more their original brown.

"This parts a surprise for me as well." Thor admitted, watching closely.

Harpers hands came up to rest on Loki's and she nodded a few times. Then suddenly, she paled, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she slumped. Loki deftly lifted her limp body into his arms, and shot Thor a look. Thor stepped forward, and the rest of the group followed.

"What's wrong with her?" Steve asked worriedly.

"Exhaustion." Loki spoke crisply. "She's not yet used to reigning in her abilities, and as such it still takes a lot out of her. That is why she lost control there at the end." Loki turned green eyes to Thor. "You are not wounded?"

"Not fatally." Thor answered, though he rubbed his chest slightly with a wince. "Care to tell us what just happened?"

Loki sighed heavily. "I suppose some form of explanation is necessary."

"You think?" Tony rolled his eyes.

Morris slowly raised a hand, and Loki turned to him.

"Are you who I think you are?" Morris asked. Loki smirked, and Morris nodded…then his eyes rolled into the back of HIS head, and Steve grunted when his limp body fell into him.

"Like Father like daughter." Scottie snickered.

There was a pause…as if no one was quite sure how to proceed, then Tasha sighed. "Let's get Harper and the Detective to the Tower, they can rest there while," Tasha shot Loki a dark look. "While we get some explanations.

Loki inclined his head. "After you." He agreed smoothly.

Tasha scoffed, but in the end, did lead the way.

* * *

 **This chapter was equal parts hard and liberating to write. I have found through writing about the aspects of those living on the streets that they're more than the cardboard they reside in; and that they are people too...not just nuisances, or garbage to be cleaned up. Beckett's story is unfortunately very true and Harper said everything I wish I could've when I'd been in a similar situation...minus the Avengers and magic and Violet.**

 **MUCH PLOT THOUGH, am I right? Loki and Violet and Magic and Control and Morris meeting the avengers! And explanations and angst next chapter...yay!**

 **~CLC~**


	14. AntiNormal

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

 **Loki II**

"Alright, Harper and Morris are still unconscious in the Med-Bay, Jarvis is set to let us know when they wake up, and I'm beyond pissed. Tell me, Loki, what the hell are you doing on Earth?"

Clint's arms were crossed and his eyes were narrowed, and Loki, standing in front of the Avengers wearing black slacks and a green button-up, sighed heavily.

"I was sentenced to a certain amount of prison time while on Asgard and was later offered another deal." He said bluntly. "I helped Thor with a mission of his and he promised me after a certain amount of what you Midgardians call community service, I would be free to do whatever I wished."

"So Thor knew you were on Earth this whole time?" Avery clarified. When Loki nodded, Avery pointed at Thor with a frown. "You're grounded." He ordered.

Thor rolled his eyes. "I'm not grounded." He argued. "I didn't tell you he was on Midgard because you would've objected to his presence."

"Damn right we would've!" Tony burst out. "The guy broke my window, brought an army of aliens here, destroyed Manhattan, broke my window,"

"Alright, Stark, we get it." Tasha rolled her eyes. "We all know what you're REALLY upset about."

"You weren't even supposed to have any contact with him." Thor continued. "He's also not even supposed to be here anymore."

"He's done with his community service?" Bruce asked.

"It was over months ago." Thor admitted. "I'm not even sure why he's still here."

"Why are you still here?" Clint pressed.

"I'm here because of Harper." Loki crossed his arms.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Steve snapped.

"It means that the fool Matthews somehow retrieved my blood and injected it into Harper, and so I'm partially responsible for her."

"I don't buy it." Clint shook his head.

"Of course you don't." Loki rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps you should start from the beginning," Thor advised. "I'm not following your train of thought."

Loki huffed. "When I first arrived to begin my service, Thor led me to Harper's charity, simply her senior project at the time."

"So Liam doesn't exist?" Steve spoke up. "He's not a human you mind-controlled or body-snatched?"

Everyone shot Steve a weird look, and he shrugged. "It's a valid question."

"Liam does not exist." Loki said after a moment. "He's simply a disguise I wore in order to complete my community service."

"Oh." Steve shrugged. "Okay. Continue."

"I worked with Harper for half an evening and she overheard a conversation between Thor and I in that same night. She knew who I was but agreed to keep my secret and allow me to continue my service. I assume the Colby child overheard something or knew something, and he attained my DNA and sent it to Matthews. Nevertheless, she was injected with my DNA along with yours,"

"Which is the only reason she didn't go completely feral." Bruce spoke up.

"Incorrect." Loki snapped. "Her strength of will is the reason the combined DNA didn't burn her up immediately and the relationships she's forged helped snap her out of the Feral. My DNA was just a bonus, but nonetheless, it made her partially my responsibility."

"I wouldn't say that if I were you." Tony joked. "Steve doesn't like to share."

"When Harper fully realizes the depth of the secret Rogers has kept from her he won't have anyone to share." Loki snapped.

Tony's gaze dropped. "Oh yeah." He grimaced. "I hadn't thought about that."

"Well I assure you, HE has." Loki's gaze shot to Steve, whose face was pale. Thor coughed, and Loki rolled his eyes.

"Anyway; I disguised myself as a doctor and slipped into Shield to examine her when she was unconscious. While I was there I set up a mind connection between the two of us."

"You did what?" Clint jumped up.

"Oh calm yourself, Katniss," Loki spat. "It simply allowed for the two of us to communicate in her mind and dreams. I've been training her to control her Feral and have been teaching her magic through this connection."

"So that's why she has such a tight control on it." Tasha nodded slowly. "Not only is she releasing nightly so it doesn't build up, but she's also been learning."

"But she never said anything." Steve argued.

"Because she doesn't know." Loki said simply. "These dreams and memories are stored in a part of her brain that she can't reach when she's conscious, as per her request."

"She purposely doesn't want to know what she can do?" Tony rephrased. Loki inclined his head.

"Harper is well aware that she needed to learn how to control her abilities, but she also wanted to pretend she wasn't a freak- her words. So we compromised."

The Avengers took this in, Team two remaining mostly silent so the adults could process.

"So your community service is over; but you're still on earth because of Harper?" Bruce asked slowly.

After a hesitant pause, Loki nodded. "Correct." He agreed.

Thor shook his head. "Loki is no threat to midgard, and he maintains residence only to do good,"

"Calm down Thor." Tony shrugged. "We're not kicking him off the planet. He's cool."

"For now." Clint muttered.

Steve rolled his eyes. "But now we have to tell Harper everything."

"No need."

Everyone whirled around to face the doorway, where Harper stood swaying slightly and holding onto Morris for balance.

"You heard everything?" Will guessed, and Harper nodded. Her eyes were dull, and no one could tell whether it was from pain or weakness.

"I'm…." Harper took a deep breathe. "I'm gonna go." She nodded.

Steve took a step forward, "Harper," He breathed, but Harper shook her head tightly.

"You had one job, Steve." Though her voice was weak, it held a conviction that had Steve freezing in his tracks. "No secrets." She laughed softly. "And you couldn't even do that."

She stood as straight as she could. "You guys are all on the right track, you don't need me as a trainer anymore…I officially release you into active duty and absolve myself of all responsibilities." She nodded slowly.

"So…I'm gonna go. And for everyone's sake," Harper sighed. "Just…leave me alone for awhile."

The group was silent, and Morris grimaced at everyone but helped Harper walk away. Before she left the room entirely though, she turned to Loki.

"You coming?" She rasped, and after a quick look at Thor, Loki nodded and hurriedly ushered out Harper and Morris out of the Tower.

"Well." Tony said after a moment. "That sucked."

Steve shot Tony a dark look. "That…." He rolled his eyes, "Is a gross understatement." He strode away.

"Hey!" Thor called out. "Where are you going?"

"To get a drink!" Steve responded curtly. Thor sighed and followed after the angry soldier.

"Fine…but remember you're still banned from Barney's!"

* * *

 **The Steve Inquisition**

"Hey Morris." Steve fidgeted on the front steps of Morris' apartment, trying to ignore his black expression. "I know you're probably not very happy to see me,"

"Understatement of the year." Morris interrupted flatly. "You had one job; protect my kid and keep her happy….instead you lied to her."

"I know." Steve said glumly. "I'm a horrible person."

"Yes you are." Morris agreed matter of factly. Steve winced.

"Listen, I don't need to talk to her or even see her, I get she's still probably mad at me,"

"Another understatement." Morris snorted. Steve made a face.

"I get it, okay?" Steve snapped. "I just wanted to make sure she had a place to stay, that's all." He huffed. "Is she staying with you, or not?"

Morris was silent for a moment. Then he stepped back and held his door open. "Come in for a second." He said slowly.

Steve entered the apartment, taking in the bachelor colors and dark furniture.

"Harper's not here." Morris said after a moment. "I've kept in touch with her, she's okay," Morris promised, "But I've got to be honest, she's furious with you."

Steve nodded slowly. "She has every right to be." He agreed. "I promised her no more secrets while keeping the biggest one of all from her."

"She's very angry." Morris said again. "But her whole life has been shattered; she believed she was normal, and now she knows she's not. That's a huge adjustment she needs to make, and she needs to deal with that first. She'll come to you when she's ready."

Steve nodded slowly. "But…what if she's never ready?" He asked, revealing his worst fear.

Morris shrugged. "She might never be ready…and that's a direct consequence of your actions. You should prepare for that potential outcome."

Steve shook his head. "That would break my heart." He admitted.

"Well…" Morris said after a long moment. "Then you guys would be even."

* * *

Steve knocked three times, very firmly, and then he waited.

A young teen wearing ripped jeans and a faded One Direction t shirt opened the door. She sneered.

"Who are you?" She bit out.

Steve frowned. "My name is Steve," He said slowly. The teen narrowed her eyes.

"And what are you selling?" She asked in a bratty tone. Steve furrowed his eyebrows.

"Caitlin, take a chill pill." Declan appeared from around the corner and sent Steve an apologetic smile.

Caitlin rolled her eyes and stomped away. Declan shook his head.

"Sorry about that." He grimaced. "Come on in."

Steve stepped inside slowly, taking a liking to the brightly lit home.

"I assume you're here about Harper?" He asked, and Steve nodded.

"Is she here?" He asked hopefully.

Declan shook his head. "Sorry dude. We've been in contact, but she's not staying here." He shrugged. "She's pretty upset."

"How much do you know?"

"You mean about her being a superhero and no one telling her?" Declan rolled his eyes. "I know all of it. WE," he stressed, "don't keep secrets from each other."

Steve winced. "Right." He shook his head. "I know she's mad and doesn't want to see me, but I just want to make sure she's alright." He explained bluntly.

"Well," Declan hesitated, "She's struggling. Anyone in her position would be, but Loki's been really helpful, so,"

"She even told you about that?" Steve asked surprised. Declan shrugged.

"She kind of had to after he appeared in my living room and threatened my er…male body parts if I hurt her." Declan chuckled.

Steve filed that information away for later.

"Loki's her friend, weirdly enough, and he's been really helpful." Declan continued. "She'll work through this, and then I'm sure she'll be in touch with you." Declan reassured. "You just have to give her time."

Steve nodded slowly. "Right." He sighed. Declan had said much the same thing Morris and said, so with a sigh, he made his way toward the front door. "Thanks, Declan." He smiled gratefully at the firefighter. "I'm really glad she has you."

Declan grinned. "Well…I'm really glad I have HER, so.." He shot Steve a warm smile. "Just hang in there Cap. It'll all work out…you'll see."

"Right." Steve nodded slowly as he closed the door. "Hopefully it will."

But with his luck…it probably wouldn't.

* * *

"Freeze!" Steve obeyed instantly, stopping in his tracks at the imperious voice. Loki, looking like Liam, approached Steve with narrowed eyes. "What do you think you're doing here? Come to bother Harper?" He accused.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Actually I'm here to bother you." He admitted. Loki frowned.

"Why?" He asked bluntly. Steve shrugged.

"It's been a week since I've seen Harper," He admitted. "I've been told you've kept in contact with her. I just wanted to make sure she's okay."

Loki scoffed. "She's coping." He said after a moment. "She's had a lot to deal with these past few weeks, and all of the stress caught up to her. She's not ready for your nonsense, though, so you need to leave."

Steve raised his hands in surrender and nodded. "That's all I wanted to know." He admitted, turning back the way he'd come.

"Wait." Loki demanded, and Steve turned back around slowly.

"You hurt her." He accused. "And you won't get off for that easy."

Steve chuckled bitterly. "Loki," he said frankly, "If you can think of a way to punish me worse than I'm punishing myself, I'd give you a medal." He marched towards the exit, missing the way Loki watched him go; with a combined look of speculation and…respect?

* * *

 **Bachelor Party**

"This is the best idea I've ever had." Tony adjusted the ruffles over his shoulder.

Jake frowned down at his clothes with a grimace, then shot Tony a look.

"Okay, I'm in such a good mood, I'll admit this wasn't my idea, it's too perfect." Tony grinned and looked over the rest of the group. "But I totally forgot whose idea this was. Whose idea was it?"

"Who do you think?" Steve said sourly. "It was Harper's."

Tony made a face. "Cheer up sour puss. The only reason Harper isn't currently living with you or talking to you is because you're a dirt-faced liar,"

"Hey!" Steve frowned.

"Rude but true," Tony shrugged, "So all of your problems are your own fault and you just need to suck it up for one night and be happy for me, because in two weeks I'm getting married…alright?"

Steve groaned…loudly, and for a long time. When he finally stopped, he forced a smile onto his face and held out his hand.

"Just give me the damn dress." He bit out.

Tony mock gasped. "Language, old timer!" He joked, handing over a puke green chenille dress thing. It was hideous, and on Steve? It was also hilarious.

"Beautiful." Tony mocked. "Now." He held up his paintball gun with a grin. "Let's go take out these punks."

"I'm pretty sure we're going to win." Steve bit out. "I have a lot of rage in my soul."

Jake, the third partner on their paintball team, rolled his eyes. "Wonderful. Use your rage!"

Tony grinned. "Let's do this."

Tony Steve and Will went head to head against Tasha, Dave, Scottie and Avery, and Thor, Clint and Will, while Bruce took pictures. The paintball match while wearing ugly thriftstore bridesmaid dresses was a huge success, and Thor, Clint and Will took home the win, though Tony argued for a long time that they had somehow cheated. Nonetheless, Clint, Thor, and Will reluctantly accepted their three tickets to The Lion King, the musical, which the rest of the group laughed long and hard about.

"Did you really think you could keep that from us?" Tasha joked, entering the tower still paint spattered.

Clint made a face. "I was hoping so." He admitted, following her to the living room.

"Nice try." Bruce shook his head. "But Tasha ratted you guys out."

"Betrayal!" Will gasped jokingly, somehow spotless.

Thor shrugged. "I am not ashamed of my love of musicals." He said simply. "I find them quite enjoyable."

"And you're the only one who can get away with saying that." Tony clapped Thor on the shoulder. "Except maybe Steve." Tony sent Steve a leer. "Please tell me you secretly love musicals too."

"They're not bad." Steve shrugged. When Tony gagged, Steve grinned. "Oh shut up, man."

Tony shook his head. "Never!" He mockingly lifted his hand in oath.

Steve shook his head, smiling.

Two weeks with no sight of Harper and it had been devastating to pretend everything was okay, but his team was on his side, and for the first time in 14 days, it didn't hurt so much to smile.

"Don't freak out, I'm only here for one second."

The Avengers and Team two whirled around to stare in shock at a fidgeting Harper, Loki standing a few feet behind her and glaring warningly.

"Hey…guys." She said slowly, not making eye contact.

"Steve." She said after a few moments.

Steve swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.

"Harper." He said after a few moments. Harper looked up quickly, making eye contact. Her eyes flared from brown to Violet to brown very quickly, and she looked down again. The Avengers and Team Two shared a look.

Harper was here.

…With Loki.

…What Now?

* * *

 **But seriously...what now?**

 **~CLC~**


	15. Truths

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

"I'm not here to get all buddy, buddy again." Harper warned slowly, studiously avoiding everyone's eyes. "I'm still not over the whole, let's NOT tell Harper that she's a human ticking time bomb thing."

"But we've said sorry!" Tony whined. Clint shot him a lethal glare, and Harper rolled her eyes.

"I've taken that into account." She said dryly. "Thing is, I'm still pissed."

"Understandable." Loki input smoothly. When Thor shot him a glare, he smirked.

"But," Harper shot Loki a dirty look, and surprisingly enough, he inclined his head toward his brother in apology. "I did want to let you all know that I'm making progress, and though I haven't forgiven you guys yet…"

"There's still hope?" Steve finished slowly. Harper caught his gaze, and the two stared at each other for a long moment. Harper nodded a little stiffly.

"Yes." She said softly. "There's still hope."

Steve relaxed. Hope was a good word…a good thing.

"We are also here," Loki said after a beat, "Because Director Fury has asked her nicely,"

"More like ordered," Harper muttered under her breathe, and Loki rolled his eyes, causing the group in front of her to smile. They'd all been asked nicely to do things by Fury before…they knew.

"Director Fury gave Harper orders," Loki rephrased, "to continue her training in a facility better equipped than the ones we were previously using."

"I have a facility." Tony spoke up. "A highly equipped one, according to my former trainer." He fell into an casual pose. "You could use it if you want."

Harper narrowed her eyes.

"What's the catch?" She asked slowly.

"Come to my wedding." Tony proposed. "It's in two weeks."

"I know when it is, Tony." Harper made a face.

"So you have no excuse NOT to come." Tony grinned. "An easy deal."

"Your deal sounds acceptable." Harper said slowly. "But you should understand that Loki is my trainer, and thus where I go he goes."

Tony's eyes narrowed.

Clint made a face.

Thor watched his brother's face closely.

"Fine." Tony said after a moment. "Deal."

Tasha smirked as Tony and Harper clasped hands.

"But he fixes anything he breaks." Tony warns.

"No promises." Harper smirked. She turned to Loki, who sent her a smirk of his own.

"Well then," Loki said slowly. "I guess it's time to train."

Harper's face collapsed into a look of outrage.

"I thought we were just going to ask to use the facility today!" She burst out.

Loki just shrugged. "I'm in charge. And I changed my mind."

Harper made a face.

"Go Train." Loki demanded. Then his look turned sly. "OR…."

"Or what?" Harper asked suspiciously.

"Or go spend some time with your friends." Loki looked pointedly towards where Team Two stood, completely silent.

Scott brightened and waved as the duo looked his way, and Harper let a small smile loose.

"Easy choice." She said softly.

Loki tilted his head, observing his young charge. Then he smiled.

"Go." He said.

And with a grin, Harper approached her friends quickly.

Loki watched their happy reunion for a moment, then he turned to the Avengers with a serious look.

"She is allowed to come and go as she pleases. Do not speak to her unless she initiates it. We train every day for a minimum of three hours. Expect us." And Loki inclined his head…and was gone.

* * *

 **Training**

Harper the trainer was ruthless. Charged with whipping the Avengers and Team Two into shape, she would show up at odd hours of the day only to force them into the weirdest exercises and then proceed to work them long after they'd exhausted themselves.

Loki the trainer was on Harper's level.

Harper and Loki would arrive at the Tower daily to use Stark's facilities and their sessions would last hours. Loki would sweat nearly as much as Harper and the Avengers and Team Two, though they would sneak peeks through the video cameras often, never watched for very long.

Not because of Loki's brutal training…but because of Harper's dedication.

As a trainer, Harper was supremely devoted.

As a trainee, she was a hurricane of energy, constantly in a battle to best her worst enemy…herself.

Harper would come out of every session bruised and bleeding, panting and sweating, barely able to hold herself upright, but always with a deep gleam of satisfaction. Harper demanded progress from herself, and she wasn't afraid to work for it.

Harper, having grown up as a child-spy, had all of the basics covered, and alone she could face off any member of Team Two; or any Avenger, at that. So instead of focusing on building her foundation, Harper began to learn how to best utilize the new skills and talents that came with the new DNA strands embedded into her old ones.

Harper was skilled in hand to hand combat and various weapons, but Loki focused her on working with a Mjolner lookalike, and the two often talked theory of how best to use the hammer both with the wielding and the calling of lightning.

Harpers skills were also refined, going quickly and nearly seamless from street to strategic.

Harper had the patience of a saint, but Loki stretched her further by encouraging her to emote without losing control, with the hopes of one day being able to call forth the strength of the Hulk while maintaining that control.

Loki also exercised her mind in Tony's lab. Harper, once her new talents were set free, could comprehend far more than she'd been able to previous, and Loki delighted in setting new chemical, technical and biological puzzlers in front of her and seeing how she solved them. (Harper was days, Loki predicted, (maybe hours,) from finding the cure for cancer.)

And while all of Harper's training was important, Harper's most taxing tasks were the ones involving the violet magic that swirled dangerously from her hands.

All of Harpers other tasks were built on a foundation of knowledge that she'd already established.

Learning magic was starting from scratch.

Magic; as Harper learned, was complicated and arduous. But Magic was Loki's forte, and slowly but surely as he showed his charge the use and beauty of magic, she began to appreciate it as well. (Though appreciation made magic no easier to learn.)

And so; whether it was because Harper showed up for every session slightly dirty and very grumpy, or because she always left exhausted and sweaty, or simply because she purposely ignored them; the Avengers watched her progress…but safely, from a distance.

And to everyone's surprise, Harper, was the first to break their silent truce.

But to be fair, she had a very good reason.

* * *

 **Mawwiage**

"So this thing tomorrow." Harper grimaced slightly in pain.

"You mean my WEDDING?" Tony clarified slowly, not tearing his eyes away from the sight in front of him.

"Exactly. I never got an invitation for the thing, so I'm not sure if-"

"Oh you're going." Tony interrupted. "Invitation or no."

"Thank you for interrupting." Harper said dryly. "What I was going to say was, do I get a plus one, or am I forced to show up solo?"

"Oh." Tony frowned. "I guess your boyfriend can come." Harper grunted and Tony winced. "Is this almost over yet?"

Loki paused what he was doing to send a lethal glare Tony's way.

"Harp's magic is taking it's time adjusting to being used in a real life setting." He snapped lowly. "Her magic is too excitable yet; and builds up under her skin. If not properly taken care of, these magic pockets will cause her extreme pain."

"Well then, by all means, continue." Tony responded flippantly, though he winced as Loki returned to massaging the glowing blue violet spots that littered Harper's bare back.

Harper looked up to smirk at Tony. "Is this making you uncomfortable?"

Tony nodded from where he reclined on his couch. "Extremely." He admitted quickly. "I don't know whether to be glad Rogers isn't here to feel as uncomfortable as I am, or disappointed that I'm missing his eventual blow up at Loki putting his hands all over you."

Harper rolled her eyes and Loki smirked.

"Well Rogers isn't here and I don't mind, so." Harper shrugged. Tony made a face and stood.

"I'll give you guys' privacy, then." He shot Harper a look. "See you tomorrow?"

"Count on it." Harper shot Tony a genuine smile, one he hadn't seen in nearly two weeks, and Tony returned the smile.

"Good." He said once. "Good."

"Steve, stop pacing."

Steve pulled on his collar and shot Clint a look.

Clint sat up from where he'd been reclining on the couch of the large room Tony and his groomsmen occupied. "She'll be here if only to make wisecracks at Tony and to snap at you."

"She told me she'd be here, so she'll be here." Tony added over his shoulder as he examined himself in the mirror.

"So chill." Tasha stepped in front of Steve, forcing him to stop moving. She fixed his bow tie and shot him a reassuring smile. He took a deep breathe.

"You're right." He admitted. "I'm chill."

"Hey guys. Has anyone seen Harp?" Tony groaned loudly and turned to Morris, who had just entered the room.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"We just got baby America over here to stop whining, and then you bring it back up again," Clint explained.

Morris grimaced. "Oh. Sorry." He pantomimed zipping his lips shut. "Forget I asked.

"Easier said than done." Steve rolled his eyes, but he moved forward to shake Morris' hand. "How have you been?"

"Great!" Morris shot Steve a warm smile. "The case has been really progressing with Team Two's help, I really appreciate you loaning them to me…"

"Hey, Harp here yet?" Team Two filed in, all wearing suits with different colored ties, and everyone shot the group a look.

"What?" Scott grinned. "Are we not supposed to ask?"

"Exactly!" Tony raised his hands.

"Maybe we should all just accept the fact that Harp's not going to show," Will advised.

"Who's not going to show?" Loki stepped into the now very crowded room.

"Whoa!" Tony snapped. "What are you doing here?!"

Loki, dressed impeccably, smirked.

"My "date"", Loki stressed, smirk turning into a grin as Tony winced, "asked me to inform you all that she is here, stop worrying, and she'll speak with you all at the reception."

Steve crossed his arms. "I thought Harper was bringing her boyfriend."

"He was detained." Loki quirked a brow. "I offered to escort her."

Steve's eyes darkened and Scott stepped between the two.

"Uh, So! We're gonna go find Harp and sit with her then. Maybe we'll take this guy with us." Scott pointed at Loki, who shrugged.

"Good Idea." Tasha said dryly. "Smart."

Scott pushed Team Two and Loki out of the room, and Bruce smiled.

"She's here, Steve. That's a good thing."

"Yeah, for me." Tony grinned. "She's obviously forgiven me."

"And hopefully I'm next in line." Clint stood up from the chair he'd been sprawled in. "Steve, you're last, but hey! Progress."

"Slow progress." Steve grumbled, but then he smiled. A genuine smile. "But enough about my parenting issues. Let's go get Tony married."

Tony shot Steve a warm look, and Steve shrugged, returning with a warm look of his own.

"Yeah, and let's hurry before Pepper changes her mind." Bruce said dryly.

"Hey! Enough of that!" Tony joked. "You have to be nice to me!" Tony sighed, full of contentment.

"I'm getting married."

* * *

 **Reception**

"Well, I gotta admit, you throw a nice party."

Tony, standing next to the bar as he waited for his order, turned slightly to smile at Harper.

"It's gotta be a nice party to deal with all these fancy dressed people." Tony took in Harper's attire. "You clean up nice."

Harper grimaced. "I actually had to show and everything." She whispered furtively, and Tony laughed.

"Well, showering looks good on you." And Harper, dressed in a form-fitting lace navy dress that ended just above the knees, smiled.

"Says the guy who just married the most beautiful person in the room." Harper looked over to where Pepper Stark stood, glowing and gorgeous at seven months pregnant in a beautiful white dress.

"I got lucky." Tony grinned.

Harper huffed. "Tony Stark has it all." She shook her head, and Tony frowned slightly.

"What?" He asked confused.

"That's what the papers headlined this morning." Harper shrugged. "Genius, Billionaire, Superhero, Family Man."

The bartender handed Tony his drink, and he immediately passed it over to Harper, who swallowed it in one gulp.

"You needed that." He inferred. "And you need this." Tony grabbed Harper's shoulders and turned her to face him.

"Harp." He said seriously. "I am an old, washed-out screw-up."

Harper opened her mouth to protest, and Tony rolled his eyes. "Granted, I am an AWESOME, old, washed-out screw up, but old, and washed out I am too." Tony quirked a brow. "Five years ago I wanted nothing more than to live the life I had; as a spoiled, rich, playboy with no responsibilities and no strings. And without my consent, nearly all of that was changed. And I realized," Tony's eyes strayed to his wife, and he smiled. "And I realized that everything I'd wanted, that rich, playboy lifestyle? That it was nothing compared to what I got; a whole lot of crap I didn't want or thought I needed. Kid," Tony looked back at Harper.

"You got a whole lot of crap that you didn't want. The life you've led hasn't been the normal you crave; but there are countless people that you've saved, and lives you've changed, including mine. Happiness isn't getting everything you want, it's accepting all of the things you need. Maybe a normal life isn't in your future. It's not a part of your now, that's for sure."

Harper chuckled, and Tony smiled. "But there are people who want to be a part of your now, a part of your future, and if you wanted, you could trade them for normal. You could leave us all behind and pursue average."

Tony looked over to where the Avengers and Team Two sat, joking and laughing. "But would you even want to?"

Tony shrugged and stepped away. "Maybe those guys come with baggage…a LOT of baggage," he admitted frankly, "too much for you to ever have normal, but personally? I think that group of idiots is worth the trade." Tony reached for his drink, raised it in toast to a thoughtful Harper, and then made his way towards his wife…towards HIS happiness.

And after few moments, Harper made her way towards hers.

* * *

 **Dance**

"Hey."

The Avengers and Team two paused mid conversation when Harper appeared at Steve's side and addressed him.

"Uh…Hey." Steve greeted slowly, eyes wide.

"So…," Harper squinted as she thought of something to say. "How've you been?"

"Not awesome." Steve said after a moment. "But I'm coping. You?"

"The same." Harper shrugged. "I've just…been thinking about a lot of things."

Steve nodded.

"And now, for the father daughter dance!" The DJ announced, interrupting Steve in whatever he'd been about to say.

Harper turned to the dance floor, where fathers and their daughters began to dance, and she tilted her head. "I've been thinking through my options." She said abruptly.

"Oh?" Steve's heart began to pound. "Made any big decisions?" He asked lightly, afraid to hear her answer.

Harper turned to him, eyes bright. "One." She said suddenly. She jerked her heads towards the dance floor. "Do you want to dance?"

Steve's eyes widened in surprise at the abrupt question, then he turned towards the dance floor.

His eyes widened as he realized the implication, and his eyes shot to Harper.

Harper tilted her eyed, lips pursed as she looked down at Steve. He fidgeted, but he didn't look away. And finally, Harper smiled.

"So." She said. "Do you?"

Steve returned the smile, his heart nearly exploding out his chest.

"Yes." He said, standing. "I would love to dance with you.

* * *

 **So, some angst, but not a LOT, and a cute reunion scene, and Harper is still EXTREMELY angry, but Tony has given her things to think about. Now, we return to major Plot, to be posted on Sunday, I PROMISE.**

 **~CLC~**


	16. Turkey

**Two Chapters, on Monday, as promised!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

 **Forgiveness**

"What brought this on?" Steve looked down at Harper, who looked beautiful in her navy dress, and who'd wrapped both arms around his neck as if she didn't hate him and who'd invited HIM to dance, and during the Father-Daughter dance at that.

Steve was trying not to read too much into it.

He was failing.

"This…" Harper sighed and sought out a laughing Tony Stark with her gaze. "This is all Stark's fault."

"It is?!" Steve asked surprised, and Harper laughed.

"Actually, it is." She shrugged. "He made me realize what's important, and what's not." She shot Steve a stern look. "And if I were smart I would stop giving you extra chances, kick you to the curb, and move to Boston."

Steve winced. Then he frowned. "Wait, why Boston?"

Harper shrugged, and her eyes took on a faraway look. "I don't know, actually. I've just always wanted to go there." Then she shook herself. "Back to kicking your sorry butt to the curb.

Steve made a face. "Is that what this is?" He asked slowly. "You kicking me to the curb?"

Harper sighed. "No…this is the opposite of that."

Steve's shoulders relaxed. "If I were you, I wouldn't give me another chance." He hedged.

"Most people wouldn't," Harper laughed. Then she shrugged. "But I understand why you did what you did, and Tony's made me realize that this, who I am…it doesn't have to be a bad thing."

"It's not what you want." Steve shook his head.

"Steve." Harper shook her head. "I'm 19 years old. I don't KNOW what I want. Maybe these powers are nature's way of telling me what I need." She chuckled and looked towards the Team, who watched Steve and Harper dance unashamed. She shook her head in their direction, and they grinned unapologetically.

"So…is what I'm seeing right now acceptance?" He asked tentatively.

Harper shrugged. "I guess so." She admitted. "Yeah." She looked Steve straight in the eye and smiled.

"I forgive you."

And relief like Steve had never known washed over him. He'd been so afraid that this really was the end, and Harper was a better, more forgiving person than he could've hoped for.

"I love you." Steve blurt out, and Harper's eyes widened.

"I mean…..You're the family I never expected and the daughter I never saw coming, but you're a part of my life and I couldn't imagine living it without you, and…" Steve took a deep breathe. "I may be a screw up of an adoptive dad and a horrible failure who sucks at all of this, but I meant what I said." Steve smiled tentatively. "I love you."

Harper smiled.

"Right back atcha Pops."

And the rest of Steve's worries slipped away.

* * *

"So…everyone's good?" Scott asked suspiciously.

Harper rolled her eyes as Steve sat back down at the table and she leaned against his side.

"Yeah, we're good." Harper answered.

"So how have you been?" Thor asked brightly. "My brother isn't training you too hard?"

"Your brother is a menace and he needs to be stopped." Harper smiled. "But I'm learning a lot, so I guess he can stick around.

"I was afraid you'd say that." Clint made a face, and Harper stuck her tongue out at him.

"Where'd he go anyway?" Will asked.

"He had to take care of something." Harper said cryptically.

"So…." Tasha crossed her arms. "What have you been up to?"

"Uhhhhhh," Harper looked anywhere but at the Avengers. "I've been working on Morris' case." She nodded quickly. "Yeah, that's what I've been doing." Steve's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but before he could ask, Harper snapped her fingers.

"Which reminds me! Are you all are still helping with Turkey Day?"

"Turkey what?" Clint asked confused, mouth full.

Harper huffed. "You know, handing out meals to the homeless on Thanksgiving? That the Manhattan Project is putting together?"

"Oh, right." Clint nodded slowly. "Yeah, we're still doing that." He paused. "When is it again?"

Harper's eyes narrowed. "It's this Thursday. You know, on Thanksgiving?"

"Right, right." Clint nodded. "I knew that…I was just testing you."

"Uh huh." Harper nodded disbelievingly. "Sure. Anyway." She smiled at the group, pausing at Steve as her smile deepened. "I should go, you know. Help Loki with the….thing. Anyway! See you guys!" She waved, patted Steve on the shoulder, and disappeared into the crowd.

"So!" Tony appeared right where Harper had just been. "Did my motivational speech work?! Are we good?!"

"Yeah…" Steve said after a moment. "We're good."

"Yes!" Tony lifted a fist in victory. "Now; back to my wife." He winked at the table and disappeared once more.

"She's hiding something." Steve said the minute Tony left.

"Agreed." Clint nodded. "But what?"

"I have a feeling we'll find out on Thursday." Jake guessed thoughtfully.

"Ok. But what do we do till then?" Avery shot the table a look.

Will stood and grabbed a tray of champagne from a waiter, plopping it on the table.

"This is what we do." He smiled.

"We celebrate."

* * *

 **Homeless**

"Loki?" Clint grimaced at the blond kid everyone knew Loki wore as a disguise, who stood tapping his foot at the corner Harper had told them all to meet at. "Where's Harp?"

"Harper is otherwise engaged." Loki sniffed. "I'm sure you'll run into her shortly. Until then, she's left me in charge."

"Which means we have to listen to you?" Avery crinkled his nose, then he shrugged. "Ok."

Loki shot Avery a wary look, then began to speak. "You will be delivering meals to groups of homeless individuals between the blocks of 1st and 16th. Deliver in groups of three and make sure to neither patronize nor force a meal on these individuals. They are human and thusly deserving of respect, so treat them with care."

"Ironic, coming from you." Clint coughed, and Loki's eyes narrowed. Clint held up his hands in mock surrender, wincing when Tasha smacked him warningly.

"You're meals are just here." Loki pointed to a wagon that sat by his feet, the wagon overflowing with brown takeout boxes. "When you finish your route or if you need more, the van is stationed just a block over; on Broadway. Any questions?"

"One!" Scott raised his hands. "Where's Harper?"

Loki leveled a sharp glare at Scott, and he quickly subsided. "She's around." He said tightly. "And if you fail, she will hear of your disgrace." And with a whirl, Loki marched away.

"Well. He was pleasant." Steve made a face. "Are we ready?"

"Sure are!" Will grabbed the handle of the wagon. "Let's go feed some people."

* * *

"I don't understand how Harper convinces us to do all this crap." Clint shoving his hands into his pockets as he followed slowly behind Steve and Scott.

"Maybe it's because she's super nice and fun and also terrifying and we adore her?" Scott answered glibly, and Clint scowled.

"Maybe." He conceded.

"And it's not like she's asking us to kill a man." Steve reasoned. "She wants us to do our part to better the community, which is something we should be doing anyway."

"Yeah, shut up." Clint hurried to fall into step with the other two. "My thing is; if this is like, her jam or whatever, where is she?"

Steve furrowed his brows. "That's a good question, actually."

"Hey! Are you guys not done with your route yet?" Will jogged over with a smile, peering into their mostly full bags. Thor and Jake followed at a more sedate pace.

"We have a block or so more to go." Steve admitted.

"Seriously?" Avery snorted. "We finished ours like that." Avery snapped his fingers and Tasha and Bruce shared an eyeroll.

"Well, if someone wouldn't ask them their life stories every time we stop," Clint grumbled, "We would've been done faster."

Tasha raised a brow at Steve, and he raised his hands. "Yo." He admitted. "It wasn't me this time."

Scott grinned bashfully. "I just like talking." He confessed.

"Hey guys." David and Tasha joined them, another figure in tow. "Seeing as Stark ditched us all to go on his honeymoon or whatever, we picked up this random stranger to help us with our route." David smiled back at Morris.

Morris rolled his eyes. "Hey everyone. Where's Harp?"

"That's the million dollar question." Bruce snorted.

"Let's just finish our route and we'll hunt her down." Steve decided. "Let's go."

The group shrugged and followed Steve as he marched resolutely down the last block, looking for anyone in need of a meal.

"Hey." A raspy voice spoke from one of the alleyways, and Steve paused.

"Yes?" He asked, smiling.

The raspy voice belonged to a man, back hunched with age and frail arms wrapped around himself tightly to keep out the cold. "You one of them Manhattan Project chumps?"

"Dude." David leaned over to whisper to Tasha. "That's the Beckett guy…from when Harp went Vio-LENT. Heh. Get it?" Tasha shot him a look and he stepped back in apology, going silent as Steve searched for a polite way to answer.

"I'm volunteering with the Manhattan Project, yes." Steve nodded slowly. "We're handing out meals this evening, would you like one?"

The man snorted. "No, I'm just fine. But my crew needs some food. Mind bringing it back to them?"

Steve nodded. "How many do you need?" He asked.

Beckett eyed the bags in Steve's hand, and after a moment, he smirked. "Just bring the rest of what you have." He decided. "Tell your groupies to follow you too."

Steve shot his "groupies" a look and with a shrug, followed Beckett deeper into the alleyway.

"Is he bringing us back here to kill us?" Will whispered.

"Shush." Bruce admonished.

"You gotta admit, this guy is hella creepy." Jake tried, but Thor grabbed the back of his neck and he went silent, slowly following Steve into the alley.

"This here's my crew," Beckett introduced once he'd arrived at the very back of the alleyway, where cardboard boxes taped together made a simple roof and two walls, all leaning against the side of a building that made the third wall. Several people sat inside the makeshift house, and Beckett introduced them one by one.

As Beckett went through roll call, Steve handed out the meals with a warm smile to each person.

Molly, an elderly woman with an angry scowl, snatched the meal from Steve's hand. Don and Craig, boys not more than ten and twelve, smiled bashfully and thanked Steve quietly. Carly, the woman Steve remembered interviewing and who glared darkly at Morris, took her meal silently. Solomon, a lone figure huddled in the back of the cardboard house, didn't even come out, instead just holding a pale hand out. Steve handed Solomon the meal and Solomon pulled it close to his chest, still hidden in shadows.

Beckett shrugged. "He's new." Beckett explained slowly. "Too uppity for his own good at this point. Hasn't let Pride fall yet." Beckett looked at his crew with sad eyes. "It'll happen soon enough though."

"Don't forget the Eagle." Solomon's low tones reached out, and Beckett snapped a finger.

"Right. Eagle!" Beckett looked up, and Steve and the others followed his gaze to see a small shape perched in a corner of the fire escape staircase. "Come get a meal!"

The figure didn't move, and Beckett sighed. "She's new too," He admitted. "She's not a whole lot of pride, but she's shy."

Solomon snorted, and Beckett shot him a glare.

"Anytime now, Eagle," Beckett pressed, and the figure unfolded itself and hopped from the fire escape, landing nimbly in front of Steve.

Steve's eyes widened as he took in the young woman in front of him, and his mouth opened, but nothing came out.

"Eagle, is it?" Clint stepped forward with a meal.

Harper, hair tangled and matted, face smeared with dirt and dressed in dark, old clothing, tilted her head.

"So what if it is?" Her voice came out deeper than the others had heard it, smoky almost.

Clint shrugged. "Nothing…it's just an interesting choice that's all." He held out the meal and Harper grabbed it with one hand, but when she pulled, Clint refused to release it.

"Been out on these streets long?" He inquired, and Harper rolled her eyes. "Awhile." She snapped. "What's it to you?"

Clint stared long and hard at Harper, and Harper reciprocated, unblinking. Finally, Clint let go of the meal and Harper shot the entire group a sneer…and then a wink. Then Harper was jumping back onto the fire escape and curling back into a small ball.

Beckett shrugged. "An odd one, she is." He confessed. "Thanks for the food."

Steve nodded, then turned abruptly and marched out the alley, the rest if his groupies following behind slowly.

When Steve was far enough away, he whirled to face Morris.

"Did you know about this?" He hissed out.

Morris' eyes darkened. "Do you really think I would've allowed her to do this?" He snapped.

Steve took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "No." He said after a moment. "I don't think you would have." He whirled around and continued walking. "Which is why she didn't tell either of us."

"Ummm….why is Harper pretending to be a homeless person?" David raised his hand.

Thor coughed. "Remember what she said when we asked what she's been doing?" He reminded.

"She said she was on Morris' case." Avery's eyes widened and he nodded in understanding.

Scott shook his head. "I still don't get it," he admitted.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tasha chuckled lightly, impressed.

Morris followed behind the Avengers, shaking his head slowly. "She's working my case." He explained.

"She's gone undercover."

* * *

 **Undercover**

When Harper walked into the Avengers tower, thankfully clean and with Loki in tow, it was to find The Avengers and Team two seated in the living room, waiting for her with arms crossed, Morris seated in the middle.

Harper and Loki shared a look, and Loki raised his hands and retreated to the kitchen. Harper sighed and faced the firing squad, head held high.

"No excuses, No regrets." She said firmly. "I'm doing the right thing."

"EHHHHHHHHHH!" Scott's fist hit the arm of the couch, his mouth making a loud buzzer sound. "Wrong answer." He shrugged apologetically. "Try again."

Harper rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry for not telling you?" She tried, blinking innocently in Steve's direction.

"EHHHHHH!" Will buzzed this time, though he winked. "Not good enough. What else you got?"

Harper crossed her arms. "I'm trying to solve a case," she started, but Morris interrupted her.

"MY case," He corrected, "The case that I agreed you could HELP with, not takeover. When you first thought about going undercover you should've immediately come to me,"

"So you could say heck no?" Harper shook her head. "Like you would've let me wander the streets at all hours of the night covered in dirt and talking to strangers."

"Of course I wouldn't have!" Morris blew up. "How irresponsible would it be for me to allow a minor, and not just that, my only family, to dangerously throw themselves in the line of fire just to get the job done!?"

"Extremely irresponsible," Harper admitted. "If I were NORMAL." She stressed. "I've lived more of my life on the streets than I've lived with Steve or known about you COMBINED…and then doubled." Harper shook her head. "But not only was I trained in combat and know the lifestyle because I lived it, I'm also extremely enhanced and can take care of myself."

"We know you're capable." Steve spoke up. "We know you can take care of yourself. But you forget that you don't HAVE to. You have people who care and who want to know what you're doing with your life and if you're putting yourself in danger; not because we don't believe you can handle it, but because we'd like to be available to have your back if necessary. You don't have to do everything alone anymore."

"Loki has been with me the entire time." Harper added.

Clint perked up. "Let me guess. Solomon?"

"Got it in one, Katniss." A voice from the kitchen called out, and Clint grinned, then grimaced.

"What's up with Katniss anyway?" He grumbled.

Harper smirked. "I made him watch that movie and he got hooked."

"Anyway." Steve shot Clint a look. "You're responsible enough to call for backup. That's fine and good, but the fact of the matter is we would have at least liked a heads up."

Harper sighed. "You realize that now I feel super guilty about this."

Steve smiled smugly. "That was the plan." He admitted.

"But I'm not going to stop." Steve huffed.

"And why not?" He crossed his arms.

"Because." Harper crossed her arms. "I have a lead."

Morris, despite himself, looked interested.

"And it's a good one, too." Harper added, and Morris sighed.

"Wait a second." Thor raised his hand. "What case?"

"Morris has been working on a case that Team Two has been helping with." Harper debriefed. "It's no big deal."

"So then…do you mind if I and my brother take our leave?"

Harper's eyes widened. "Right! You guys have a…thing." She narrowed her eyes. "How long will this thing last?"

"You mean the celebration feast in Asgard that Thor is dragging me to?" Loki entered the room with a raised eyebrow. "A week, perhaps."

"Which is how long Nat and I will be gone." Clint winced. "We have a…thing, as well."

Steve narrowed his eyes. "Wait a second. When did all of this vacation planning happen?"

"When you were stalking Harper and she was apparently pretending to be a homeless person." Scott smiled.

Steve shook his head. "Bruce?"

"Conference in Berlin." He said apologetically.

Steve sighed. "I see how it is." He shook his head, then sent Harper a sly grin. "Guess I'll have to hound Harper for the next week."

Harper grimaced and turned to Morris.

"Let's hope this case keeps me busy so I don't commit murder." Harper muttered, and Morris turned to smile at Steve.

"Well if it helps," He said slowly, "My award ceremony is in a few days."

Harper rolled her eyes. "Avengers, disperse." She demanded. "Enjoy your vacation, let's hope nothing catastrophic happens without you on call."

"Well that's encouraging." Clint stood up and stretched. "But if anything does happen, we have a very reliable team two that can be called upon in time of crisis." Clint winked at Will.

Jake and Avery snorted, Scott laughed loudly, and David shook his head slowly.

"Let's hope nothing catastrophic happens." Will repeated.

"Because if something bad DOES happen," David added.

"Then everyone's dead." Avery finished.

"Don't think like that!" Harper joined Team Two on their couch. "I'm sure you could handle it."

The Avengers shared a disbelieving look and shook their heads.

it's not that they didn't trust team two to get the job done.

it's just that...they really didn't.

* * *

 **Harper is pretending to be homeless, which could never lead to problems...right? Heh. Morris' case is being worked by Harper whether he likes it or not, and soon enough this case will be blown wide open...perhaps in the next chapter?**

 **~CLC~**


	17. Bodies

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

 **Ceremony**

Steve followed Harper and Team Two as they pushed their way to the front of the large crowd. He winced as he was jabbed a few times by elbows and did his best to avoid touching anyone but failed horribly as he attempted to keep up with the younger team.

Harper looked back and paused with a grimace, waving Team two on through the crowd as she waited for Steve to catch up.

"We couldn't have just watched the ceremony from the back?" He grumbled once he finally reached her side.

Harper rolled her eyes. "We could've," She said slowly, "If we weren't also scoping out the place to make sure the idiot kidnapping homeless people doesn't show up."

"And do we even know what this guy looks like?"

"Well…" Harper resumed moving through the crowd, this time with a hand gripping the edge of Steve's sleeve. "We know that it's a man and that he didn't look out of place. We know he looked approachable and not dangerous, because he lured over 300 individuals away from their comfort zones, and were never seen from again. We know-"

"A lot." Steve interrupted, surprised. "I thought we were at a standstill with the case."

"YOU were at a standstill with the case," Harper corrected. "I'VE been undercover, getting clues."

"And these clues are?" Steve pressed. "I've yet to hear of anything substantial that you've gotten while pretending to be a homeless punk."

Harper made a face. "Well…It's been slow going, but Beckett has been very helpful in integrating me into his group, and they've mentioned a few things."

"Like?" Steve sighed in relief as Harper finally pulled him to the front of the large crowd mingling outside City Hall, where TV cameras were set up and where Morris stood on the steps, fidgeting in his uniform and standing next to the mayor.

"Like most transients pass on this story to the newbies about a guy in dark-rimmed glasses who will offer you a place to stay and then takes you to the gates of hell to burn for the rest of all eternity."

Steve shot Harper a look and she shrugged. "It's a stupid story that they tell to scare people but don't actually believe in. The Skids, street kids," Harper defined before Steve could ask, "are told this story to convince them to make their curfew on time. This guy is an urban legend for us, a myth."

"Well how do the other transients explain away the disappearances?"

Harper shot Team Two, who stood on the opposite side of the stage a look, and they nodded back slowly.

"They've bought their own cliché." Harper said after a moment. "They just think their friends or family have moved on without them; transients are hardly reliable nor do they have any reason to be so."

"But they haven't just moved on." Steve said, not asking, though Harper nodded anyway.

"Transients are in actuality highly territorial and connected to their cardboard homes; for most of us; it's all we have." She caught something in the crowd and frowned. "You see that guy?" She tilted her chin, and Steve followed her gaze to where a thin gangly man in dark-rimmed glasses and a gray hoodie loitered nervously around a garbage can. Steve nodded slowly.

"I see him." Steve's eyes narrowed. "Why do you think our perp would show up here?"

"The guy's a nobody." Harper said quickly, shooting Team Two a look and directing their attention to the potential. Will and Avery slipped into the crowd headed for the man from opposite directions. "The only successful thing he's done is make three hundred people disappear, and some other man is getting the credit for it?" Harper shook her head. "He won't stand for that."

"So what do you think he'll do?" Steve turned to the front; where the ceremony had begun, the mayor calling Morris forward.

"That." Harper's mouth quirked into a half smile when the man pushed an oddly shaped garbage sack into the trash can and began to hurry away. Harper put a hand to her ear and began to speak quickly.

"Will, Avery, tail him. Jake, you and Dave get to that can, quickly. Steve and I will cover Morris. Scott, how are we looking?"

"Our perp just caught sight of Will and 'Vry. He's running for it, but they'll get him. He's hopelessly outmatched. Jake and Dave are on the can…which is starting to smoke…"

Harper whirled around from where she'd been keeping an eye on Morris to see for herself, and she grimaced. "Jake, Steve, evacuate civilians, now, Dave, suit up and cover that can. I'll get Morris," Harper's orders were interrupted as the trash can exploded, sending pieces of metal and bits of garbage everyone. Steve leaped forward and pulled people out of the way, Jake doing the same and Dave, already suitclad, blasting the bigger pieces midair. Harper leapt up the steps and pulled Morris backward, ushering him around the corner and into a waiting black SUV.

* * *

"Status Report!" Harper snapped as soon as the SUV squealed around the corner.

"No casualties." Jake reported. "A few minor injuries but Morris' coworkers are taking care of it."

"Our perp threw a pipe bomb away." Dave added. "It's a crude makeup, I swiped it from a crime tech so we could examine it in the lab, but we're not gonna get anything off this. It's elementary."

"Awesome." Harper shook her head. "I've got Morris, we're headed back to base. Anyone else on route?"

"I am." Dave confirmed. "Via suit, and I've got Scottie; he wanted a ride." Harper chuckled.

"Jake and I are en route." Steve added. "How's Morris?"

"Morris is…" Harper shot Morris a look, and he grimaced.

"Morris is pissed." Harper concluded. "We had the guy…and now we have nothing."

"I wouldn't say nothing." Will jumped in slyly. "Avery and I are headed to base, and we've got you a present."

Harper smiled. "Please tell me it's thin, blind, and nerd-sized?"

"Got it in one." Avery joked, and Morris sighed in relief.

"See everyone soon." Harper finished, pulling the comm out of her ear.

"Sorry you didn't get your award." She said after a moment, and Morris laughed.

"Please kid." He shook his head. "I got something better."

"I got the guy."

* * *

 **Dump Site**

"This isn't the guy."

Steve shot a sideways look at Harper. "You're kidding right?"

"Partially." Harper admitted. "This is half the guy."

"What does that mean?" Will asked, exasperated. "He's the spitting image of who we're looking for." Will waved a hand in the direction of the one way mirror, on the other side of which sat their perp. "Nerdy physique, average face, black-rimmed glasses, he works with the government in some crappy job in the public services department. He's the guy!"

"He's the kidnapper, yes." Harper agreed.

"Which is who we were looking for." Avery nodded. "So…mission accomplished?"

"I didn't say that." Harper argued lightly, not looking away from their perp.

"So what ARE you saying?" Jake prodded. "Because I am beyond confused."

"He's the kidnapper." David repeated.

"But he's not the mastermind." Morris entered the observation room, dressed in dark wash jeans and a green t shirt, moving to stand on one side of Harper.

Harper shot him a smile. "Exactly."

"So…he's kidnapping the homeless for someone else?" Steve rephrased. At Harper's nod, he closely scrutinized the man on the other side of the glass.

"For who?" Dave crinkled his nose.

"That…" Morris sighed. "Is what I'm about to find out."

"Take Steve with you." Harper said lightly.

Morris furrowed his brows. "Why?"

"Our perp sees you as an adversary. You're taking the credit for his work. But Steve?"

"He's a friend to all." Morris nodded slowly. "He'll be good cop."

Harper nodded. "Exactly."

"What are you going to do?" Steve asked.

"I'm going to go see if Scottie and I can find out where this guy takes our victims after he nabs them."

"So you're going to hack into his records?" David rephrased. Harper grinned.

"Why don't you take Dave with you and Avery, Jake and I will keep tabs on the interrogation?" Will offered, and Harper nodded. "Good idea." She turned to Steve and Morris. "Depending on how far Scottie's already gotten on this guy, we could have a location in less then an hour. You think you can get a location out of him before then?"

Steve and Morris shared a smile. "Perhaps." Steve hedged, and Harper grinned. "Loser makes dinner?" She bet, and Steve narrowed his eyes then nodded.

"Deal."

* * *

It took Harper and her team 45 minutes to find out that Arthur Finley, who'd been receiving monthly deposits of ten thousand dollars for the last ten years, owned a cabin on 25 acres and had for exactly ten years.

It took Steve and Morris 47 to get that same information.

It took Harper, Steve, Morris and team Two another hour to notify Morris' department and prepare for a search and seizure of his property.

Two hours after that and Harper followed Morris as he lead a group onto Finley's property, finding the small cabin in disrepair and filled, floor to ceiling…with shoes.

When the dogs got to the scene, they identified over a hundred graves, and a silence descended on the large group of people as they realized they'd come across not a kidnapper's domain….but his graveyard.

* * *

 **Morgue**

"Morris!" Morris turned from where he'd been talking in low tones to a shaking Harper, straightening when his boss marched toward him.

Morris' boss paid little attention to Harper, instead fixing sharp eyes on Morris.

"You tried to warn me about these disappearances." The broad, gray-haired man began stiffly. "I refused to listen." Morris said nothing, simply waiting. Morris boss swallowed, then held out his hand.

"Good work." Morris shook his bosses hand slowly.

"Thank you sir." He said faintly. His boss sniffed.

"Take a team." He ordered. "Canvas the streets. Warn the others that there's a serial killer on the loose."

Morris nodded, and his boss sniffed again before turning and marching away, snapping out orders as he passed by other officers.

Morris shot Harper a look. "Are you and your Team up for a walk?"

Harper smiled slightly. "My team, yes. Steve too, probably, he's been horribly bored with the rest of his team gone. But…." Harper hesitated, turning slightly towards the double doors that led to the Morgue. "I'd like to stay here? See if I can be of any help?"

Morris tilted his head, but then he nodded. "Sure." He agreed. "No problem." Harper smiled and pushed through the doors, and Morris shook his head, turning to look for Team Two.

Harper could take care of herself, and him? He had a killer to catch.

* * *

"So how long have you been a coroner?" Harper asked lightly, elbows deep in an older man who wasn't very far into decomp.

"Almost 30 years." The Coroner, who'd told Harper to call him Woody, answered cheerfully. "I've always found the dead better company than the living though."

Harper shot the strange older man a look, then shrugged, turning her attention back to the man she was examining.

"Have you ever dealt with this many bodies?" Harper asked, and Woody whistled.

"Oh, no!" He smiled. "That's why I'm even here, there are too many bodies for one coroner, so they flew the best of us in!"

"And you're from Santa Barbara?" Woody nodded, humming as he stitched up a woman.

Harper nodded, then frowned.

"You find something fun?" Woody asked, having caught her confused look.

"Maybe." Harper said after a moment. She removed her hands from the mans stomach to peer at an odd scar on the right man's hip.

Woody moved to her side and reached for a pair of glasses. "What is that?" He whispered, running a hand along the perfect circle.

"It's…a clue." Harper stood and moved to another body, flipping the cover off quickly, eyes drawn immediately the the corpses right hip. She cursed under her breath when she found what she was looking for. "Does your body have one of these?" She called out, and Woody moved back to his table, grimacing when he found the scar, exactly where it should be.

"Yes." He answered apologetically. "What does it mean?"

"it means…" Harper ripped off her gloves and quickly untied her apron. "It means I know who our killer is."

"Really?!" Woody's eyes widened. "Is it anyone I know?"

Harper shot Woody another odd look, then shook her head. "No. But it's someone I know." She reached for a her cell phone, which she'd left on the nearby desk, then turned to Woody. "If anyone asks for me, I've gone to Stark Tower. Okay?"

Woody nodded, then watched confused as Harper shot out of the Morgue. After a moment, Woody shrugged and turned back to his corpse.

"Well beautiful," He began, plunging one hand into the womans stomach, "Looks like its just you and me now. Whatever shall we get up to?"

* * *

 **Taken**

"Hey! Eagle, wait up!" Harper grimaced, but paused, waiting for whoever had called her name to catch up. She slipped her phone into her bra while she waited. Eagle was her transient name, and she couldn't very well be seen with a cell if she didn't have a home.

A heavily breathing Carly paused at Harper's side. "What are you hurrying towards?" She asked.

Harper huffed. "It's not a big deal." She shrugged. "What do you need?"

Carly was one of Harper's street family. Beckett had found her futilely trying to escape an abusive pimp three years previous and had bought her freedom. She'd stuck with the veteran since then, and Beckett had helped her get clean, finish her GED, and find a job. Carly was more than capable of freeing herself from the streets, but she refused to leave without Beckett, and Beckett refused to leave without…well, everyone.

Harper knew she had history with Morris, but was content to let that be their business. Carly looked around nervously before pulling Harper into an alley.

"There's coppers around." Carly began. "They're trying to tell us that the nerd-nabber is real."

Harper sighed and placed both hands on Carly's shoulders. "Carly….he IS real."

Carly crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "How do you know that?" When Harper failed to answer, Carly scoffed. "You're not a Skid, are you?"

Harper grimaced and Carly's eyes widened. "I KNEW it!" She crowed. "You're old school with the lingo and you act like this is all you know, but it's stilted." Carly shook her head. "You'll never make it as an actor."

"I'm devastated." Harper said dryly. "Listen, Car, I'm not currently a Skid, but I was one."

"And you're…Carly squinted, "undercover or something?" Harper shrugged.

"So you can tell me what's going on then?" Carly asked. "Why the coppers suddenly care?"

Harper opened her mouth to explain, and a white van skid to a stop right outside their alley, a young man jumping out and running towards them.

"Hey!" He called out, face creased in concern. "Don't you guys know that there's a kidnapper running around?"

"No, duh." Carly rolled her eyes. "What's it to you?"

"We're evacuating the streets." The man, wearing slacks and a white button up explained. "They aren't safe right now."

"The streets are never safe." Carly crossed her arms. "But they're our homes."

"And think of this like a bug bomb." The man shrugged with a wry smile. "You need to evacuate for a few hours so we can fumigate."

"And where will you be taking us?" Carly questioned.

The man sighed. "St. Mary's. Its a few blocks away, but we should hurry before it fills up." Carly sighed and began to follow the man to his van, and Harper turned to continue making her way to the tower.

"Uh, miss?" The man called out. "You too."

Harper opened her mouth to explain, she wasn't homeless, she had a home, she didn't need to go St. Mary's, but at Carly's pleading look, Harper sighed.

She'd probably be safer at a church then she'd be at the tower. Besides, Morris and her team were canvassing, they'd make it to the church eventually, and she'd tell them then.

So Harper found herself in the back of the van with a group of other transients, speaking soothingly to the frightened ones.

* * *

It took a while for Harper to realize that they were driving in the opposite direction of St. Mary's, and her stomach dropped.

She leaned over to look the driver in the eye.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?" She asked politely, and the man smiled.

"It's Artie." He said lightly.

Harper took a deep breath. "Short for Arthur?" She guessed, eyes searching for an out.

"Oh no!" Artie laughed, and Harper relaxed. Her shoulders stiffened at his next words though.

"That's my dad."

Harper nodded slowly, not finding any means of escape, but determined to find one.

"Eagle?" Carly asked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Are you okay there, Harper?" Harper shot a wide eyed look towards the driver, who smiled maliciously. "You look a little…fatigued. I really think a short sleep would perk you right up."

"Carly," Harper began, voice low, but Artie had snapped the divider that separated the front of the van from the back, and a dark green smoke began pouring in from a nearby vent. Harper's hand went to her mouth and nose and she climbed over the others in the van in an attempt to get the back doors as the rest of the van began to panic and cough loudly. Harper's hands fumbled for the handle and though she knew it would be locked, she tried anyway. She slammed her shoulder into the side as well, but the gas began to affect her before she could do much, and she whirled to face the front, her back slamming into the doors as she leaned against them, vision going blurry.

The last thing she saw was Artie's face in the rearview mirror, an evil grin on his face.

* * *

 **So...Woody, am I right?! I love that guy.**

 **And...who the heck is Artie?**

 **Ugh...things are getting good!**

 **~CLC~**


	18. Two

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

 **Canvas**

Morris' phone rang twice while he was distracted speaking with a group of transients. Steve's rang four times while he was chasing down a burglar he'd come across, and Will's phone rang exactly once before he was bringing it up to his ear.

"Stop everything you're doing and listen to the sound of my beautiful voice!" Will made a face, hitting Jake lightly on the arm and motioning for him to stop walking.

"Scott?" Will asked slowly. "What's the problem?"

"Well. After we found Finley's cabin I continued to do some digging, and you know how his records say he had an ex-wife?"

"Right." Will said slowly. Jake motioned to Avery and Dave and the group moved into an empty alleyway. Will put the phone on speaker.

"And they had no kids together?" Scott continued.

"Because who would want to have kids with that guy?" Jake added. "Yes, I remember this conversation."

"Well, I was bored, so I continued to do some digging on this guy to see if maybe he'd lead us to the mastermind, and I found out the ex-wife currently has three kids."

"Okay, she remarried. This is important why?" Dave pressed.

"Because her oldest son turned 26 this year, which means that he was conceived while she was still married to Finley!"

"You think Finley's ex-wife had his kid but didn't tell him?" Avery asked.

"Oh no…Finley knows." Scott said somberly. "When the kids was 16 he ran away from home, and the mom reported him missing, but then dropped the complaint."

"He came back?" Will furrowed his brows.

"The report doesn't say. "So I got in touch with her, and the way she tells it, Finley jr. was a menace from the time he could walk. He showed classic psychopathic tendencies; he couldn't emotionally connect, he started fires, killed small animals, transformed during a full moon,"

"What?" Will interrupted, and Scottie laughed.

"Okay, not the last one. But this kid was full on psycho, which daddy probably cultivated after the kid moved in with him."

"What do we know about junior currently?" Avery asked, and Scottie huffed.

"Well that's the bad news, bears. Artie Jr. currently works in the same public works office as dearest daddy does, but he works in delivery services."

"Which means he has access to their vans." David grimaced. "So Finley's not working alone and Junior has to know by now that his cover his blown."

"So do we think he's in the wind?" Jake tried.

"Nah, he's a psychopath." Will thought for a moment. "He's going to try and end with a bang." Will nodded, and looked out towards the crowded streets seriously.

"Which means these streets have just become his hunting ground."

Morris and Steve were deep in discussion with a worried Beckett when Avery found them.

"Rogers!" He barked out, interrupting with a frantic expression. "We have a problem."

"More than one, apparently." Morris shook his head. "Beckett's entire crew is missing."

"Finley had a partner." Avery nodded when Morris' eyes widened. "His son; who has access to public works delivery vans. We think he's making one final run."

Steve shook his head. "Where's Harper?" He demanded.

"Dave went back to the morgue to warn her." He assured. "We need to inform the canvassers that the threat isn't over."

"And the others?" Morris asked.

"Will and Jake are spreading the word." Jake nodded.

Steve's phone went off and he answered it as quickly as he could.

"Rogers." He snapped.

"Harp isn't here." David wasted no time on pleasantries. "She bolted about 20 minutes ago, the coroner she was working with said she was heading to the tower."

"She found something." Steve assumed, and David huffed.

"Yeah. She found our mastermind."

"What?!" Steve's eyes widened. "Who is it? How'd she figure it out?"

"That," David said after a moment. "Is the complicated part. Leave the canvassing to the pros, you guys need to get over here….NOW.

* * *

 **Scars**

"Why did you drag us over here when we should be looking for Harper?" Will snapped the moment he stormed into the morgue.

Dave's face was pale and he shook his head.

"Because you need to see this."

Dave stood in front of a white sheet, and when team two, Morris, and Steve were positioned around the body, David moved the sheet just enough so that the victims right hip was visible.

Team two went still as statues, but Steve and Morris leaned forward for a better look.

"It's a circle shaped scar." Morris said after a moment. "What's the significance in that?"

Instead of answering, David pulled up his shirt and lowered the side of his jeans and Steve winced at the identical scar on David's body.

Steve turned to the other boys, surprised.

"We have the same scar." Will nodded abruptly. "Anyone Connors tested on he took extensive skin samples from; and he always took from the same place."

"So Connors has had access to these bodies." Steve shook his head.

"I have no idea who that is." Morris said after a moment of silence. "Should I?"

Steve shook his head. "Dr. Connors is an ex-IAS scientist who specializes in DNA modification."

Morris nodded slowly. "He's the guy who messed with Harper's DNA."

"And ours." Avery added. "Connors escaped during the showdown, and we haven't seen him since."

"But the man, even when we were under his charge, was never content to test on animals." Jake huffed. "We never asked where he got his test subjects, but it's obvious he took them from the same place he took us."

"The streets." Dave rubbed his face wearily. "Harper saw the scars and figured it out,"

"And she was coming to warn us." Steve shook his head. "So where'd she go?"

"Best case scenario she's at the tower." Will input.

"And worst case, Junior got her."

"It's worst case." Beckett thumped into the room.

"What do you know?" Morris narrowed his eyes and Becket sighed. "A few of mine saw Miss Harper and Carly get into a public Works van. They thought it was suspicious, so they followed it as far as they could."

"And?" Steve pressed.

"A warehouse." Beckett informed. "I can take you there."

Morris nodded and turned to Team Two and Steve…and he sighed. "I'm compromised," he admitted. "I can have no part in this."

"I'm equally invested." Steve added. He turned to the four teens in front of him. "This can't be our case. It has to be yours."

Will looked to his friends, his teammates, and when they simply waited for instructions, he nodded.

"Steve, Morris, get to Scottie. We'll need you on observation if nothing else. See if Scottie can pull the video feeds surrounding," He turned to Beckett,

"The alley between the coffee shop on fourth and the comic book store." Steve snorted, ad Will shot him a look.

"I know the place." He explained. "We'll see what we can find." Will nodded and continued, "Beckett, you'll take the rest of us to the warehouse." Beckett saluted, and Will turned to Steve and Morris. "We'll find Harper." Steve's arms were crossed, and he smiled wanly.

"See that you do." He advised.

Will turned to his team and grinned.

"Looks like we're in charge."

* * *

 **Mastermind**

Beckett led them to the front doors, but that's as far as he dared go. From that point on, it was Will, Jake, Dave, and Avery.

Avery held tight to the hammer Thor had left behind, David wore his navy suit, Jake's eyes gleamed blue and green in turn, though he'd yet to change, and Will shifted uncomfortably underneath the weight of the Shield Steve had seriously loaned him.

For Team Two, it was game time.

"Avery, with me." Will whispered final instructions. "We're to find Connors and get him to spill where Harper is. Jake, Dave, keep an eye out for the van and Junior. Harper and the other victims are priority, but Connors and Junior are a close second. Copy?"

"Understood." Jake nodded.

"Over and Out." Dave grinned slightly, and Will nodded.

"Move out."

Will was the first through the door, Dave second, Jake and Avery taking the rear. After a close examination of the dark and empty building, Dave and Jake broke off to slip through a nearby doorway, and Will and Avery shared a nod and moved in the opposite direction.

The warehouse was dilipated and dirty…and nearly empty.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen." Avery muttered mockingly, and Will sniffed in agreement.

"After IAS fell, Connors didn't have the luxury of a grant or any real buyers interested in his work." Scottie informed over the comms. "He's revenge driven, and probably spent whatever income he has paying the Finley's to find his victims."

"They probably don't even get paid." Steve muttered. "The psycho's would probably do it for free."

"Yeah, I can see that." Will muttured as he continued to canvas the building. "Connors doesn't look like he's rolling in the green."

"More like the opposite." Avery added. "This is probably Connors last ditch attempt to recreate the serum." Will and Avery entered an office, empty except for an ornate desk that clashed with the condition of the room. Avery began to shuffle through the papers, and Will went through the drawers.

"But 300 hundred guniea pigs?" Morris asked slowly. "In ten years, okay, maybe, but the last few months the disappearances have skyrocketed. Why would he be stealing more test subjects when he has less to test now than ever?"

"Uh…I have a guess." Avery handed Will a sheaf of papers with a grimace, and Will read the forms with dawning horror.

"What would that be?" Scottie asked, interested.

"He's selling them." Will whispered in shock.

"What?" Steve demanded.

"He's selling the transients." Avery repeated. "That's why he's stealing so many."

"These people are his income." Scottie said with finality.

"Who's he selling to?" Morris asked urgently, and Will flipped through the forms.

"Overseas." Will shrugged. "That's all these forms say." He turned slightly and pressed his hand to his ear piece. "You hear all that, Dave, Jake?"

"Unfortunately." Jake answered. "Does this change things?"

"Slightly." Will admitted. "This is both good news and bad news."

"Good how?" Scottie asked confused and Will grimaced.

"Connors may not have caught sight of Harper if he just plans on selling his new batch."

"But it also means she's probably not here." Avery finished. "It's been three hours. She could be on a boat by now."

"Let's hope that's not the case." Jake tried, but a loud shout interrupted him.

"We have eyes on Junior." Dave informed. "We're in pursuit."

Will and Avery shared a look and moved to the door. "We found Connors' office." Will said. "He must be close."

And when the door swung open and a pale faced Connors stood in front of them, eyes wide, Will smiled grimly.

Connors tilted his head….and then he was running. Will and Avery followed, in pursuit of their own psychopath.

On the other end of the Comms, Morris sat stiffly, leg bouncing, Steve paced nervously, and Scottie typed furiously, humming under his breathe.

The chase was on.

Connors led Will and Avery to the roof, pausing inches from the edge. He whirled around, eyes bright with crazy, and Will and Avery paused.

"You pushed Matthews out the window." Connors yelled, smiling widely. "Care for a repeat?"

"This is it, Connors." Avery yelled back. "You've been caught."

Connors shook his head. "I don't think I'll even give you the chance." He snapped at Will, and though Will didn't completely get the statement, he ignored it. "You'll never finish that serum. It's over."

Connors laughed hysterically. "It's been over for months!" He screamed, face contorting. "Harper was my only success and she was an accident!" Connors frowned suddenly. "Where is Harper?" He spat. "I think she'd rejoice in seeing how far I'll-" Connors snorted, "fall!"

Will's jaw twitched, and Connors eyes narrowed. Then he laughed.

"The Great Harper is missing!" He crowed. "I can't believe it!" He laughed a little longer, and then when he calmed, spread his hands. "Well, I don't have her." He informed brightly. "Unless…." Connors bit his lip, watching for a tell…and Avery turned his face away.

"Oh…." Connors said gleefully. "I DO have her then?" At their silence, Connors began to laugh. "Well I hate to break it to you boys, but if Harper's really under the care of an associate of mine….you'll never find her!" Will stepped forward, arm outstretched to grab Connors, but Connors was too far away…and before Will could get close enough, Connors had turned, spread his arms…And jumped.

"No!" Will and Avery ran over, wincing as they looked down at Connors crumpled body.

"Connors is dead." Will informed weakly. "If we want to save Harper, it's up to you, Dave and Jake."

"Great." Dave huffed. "Jake…maybe now's a good time to level hope."

A roar broke through the silence, and Will and Avery shared a look.

One down, one to go.

* * *

 **Junior**

Dave flew through the hallways; worried.

Junior was their last chance to find Harper, and he was nowhere to be found.

A roar and a gunshot had Dave freezing, and then changing direction, speeding towards the sounds.

He smirked slightly when he found Junior trying to drive off in a public works van, tires squealing loudly as he went nowhere, impeded by the large green Jake that sat indifferently on the back half of the van.

Dave shook his head and flew over, breaking the windshield and grabbing Junior's shirtfront, tossing him out of the van. Jake stood slowly and moved to where Junior lay, moaning weakly.

"You're fine." Dave said dismissively once he'd made his way over. "Stop whining."

Junior did as Dave asked, going from moaning lightly to glaring fiercely.

"What do you want, David?" Junior sneered, and David reared back in surprise.

"Oh I know who you are." Junior said darkly. "You're the Stark replacement."

Dave frowned. "Whoa, son. I'm my own person. I'm not stuck in daddy's shadow…not like someone I could name." Dave raised his brows and Junior hissed.

He looked a sad state, blood on his face and clothing rumpled. "I'm not the one in prison." He snapped.

"No, you're the one with some serious explaining to do." Dave retorted. He shot Jake a look, and Jake went from green to naked in less than a second.

"Impressive." Junior scoffed. "Did Banner teach you that?"

"I taught HIM that." Jake corrected. "Now tell us where the transients are."

"Oh sure thing!" Junior sat up slowly. "Let me just give you their exact coordinates while I'm at it."

"That would be great, thanks." Dave crossed his arms and met sarcasm for sarcasm. Junior rolled his eyes.

"They're in…deep waters, if you will." Junior began to laugh, and with a grunt, Jake backhanded him. Junior's face swung to the side from the force of the blow, and he gingerly licked his lip as he turned back around.

"Bad idea." He said grimly. "I was going to be nice about this…"

"Were you?" David asked wryly, and Junior cocked his head.

"Well yeah." He said innocently. "You see, I wasn't going to do THIS." Junior pulled a gun from nowhere and shot David in the chest.

Because he was in the suit, it didn't penetrate his skin. But Junior was unfortunately a good shot, and he perfectly hit the necklace David wore, that housed the suit's mainframe.

The suit began to short, and flew backwards, into the wall. Jake shouted when David's head, unprotected because his helmet wasn't on, hit the wall and knocked him unconscious.

A gunshot had Jake whirling back towards Junior, who slumped to the ground, dead and bleeding from his headshot.

Jake stood frozen for a moment. Then…

"Shit!"

"What?" Steve snapped. "What's going on?!"

"David's unconscious." Jake explained. "Junior shot his suit mainframe, and the suit hotwired and slammed David's head into a wall. Then Junior shot himself in the head."

"Well…." Scottie began.

"Shit."

"That's an understatement." Morris broke in, voice tight.

"You're telling me." Jake shook his in the direction of the body at his feet. "Junior is dead, but not before he vaguely hints that Harper's on a boat headed who knows where." Steve's head dropped, and Morris angrily punched the side of his chair. Jake sighed and moved towards Dave.

Scottie shot Steve and Morris sympathetic looks. "Well." He winced.

"It looks like Harper's going to have to save herself."

* * *

 **DUN DUN DUN...**

 **Alright, last two chapters up in a moment!**

 **~CLC~**


	19. Street

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

 **Afloat**

"Eagle! Psst…Eagle! Please…please wake up!"

"Harper." Groggy, and head pounding, Harper slowly opened her eyes.

"What?" A terrified Carly, seated on Harper's right with feet and hands tied, blinked quickly, eyes bright.

"My name is Harper." Repeating herself orientated Harper quickly, and she took in the dark, long narrow hallway, and the rows of tied up people, all homeless from the looks of it, seated floor much as Harper and Carly were. "Those experiencing a kidnapping together should know each other's real names…don't you think?"

"In that case," A deep voice to Harper's left spoke up. "I'm Saul."

Harper turned to the young man, his face dirty and hazel eyes filled with dry humor. "Hello Saul." Harper inclined her head. "Mind telling me where we are?"

Saul shrugged. "Well, as far as I can figure, we're on a boat."

Harper grinned. "Insightful." She complimented, and Saul grinned.

"I try." He said modestly.

"Great." Carly interrupted dryly. "We get kidnapped and you find a boyfriend."

"I already have a boyfriend." Harper turned to Carly with an eye roll.

"Bummer." Saul said lightly, and Harper smiled at him. He returned the smile, and a dimple appeared in his left cheek. Harper's smile widened.

"Anyway…Harper," Carly said slowly. "You're working with the cops or whatever,"

"Impressive." Saul interrupted, and Carly shot him a look.

"Can you think of a way to get us out of here?" Carly finished.

Harper narrowed her eyes, and she nodded. "I have an idea." She turned to Carly and thrust her chest out. "There's a cell phone down my shirt. Do you think you can get it?"

Carly turned and leaned forward so she could get her hands, tied behind her back, high enough to reach into Harpers shirt. "I'll try." Harper leaned forward so Carly's hands made skin contact, and Carly fumbled for a few seconds.

"This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen." Saul spoke up, and both Harper and Carly huffed.

"Oh you poor sheltered boy." Harper tutted. "It's only going to get weirder from here."

Saul was silent for a moment.

"Awesome."

Carly snorted.

"Got it!" She said, pulling her hands out of Harper's shirt.

"Wonderful. Drop it." Carly released the phone, and it plopped in Charlie's lap. She fidgeted until the phone was resting precariously on her knee, and then bent her legs so that the phone was close to her face. She used her nose to navigate, and after a few moments, the phone began to ring.

"Who are you calling?" Saul asked slowly.

Harper shot Carly and her new friend a determined look. "I'm calling the best person I know to come and save the day."

"But…" Carly gathered her thoughts as Harper's phone rang. "We don't even know where we are,"

"or where we're going." Saul added.

"So how's he going to save us?" Carly finished.

Harper rolled her eyes. "He'll figure it out." She smiled. "Saving people is kind of his thing."

The phone abruptly stopped ringing and a frantic voice answered; "Harper?"

Harper's shoulders sagged in relief at the sound of Steve's voice, and she answered on autopilot.

"Dad!"

* * *

 **Solo**

Steve nearly wept in relief at the sound of Harper's voice on the other end of his phone. He quickly turned the speaker on and handed it to Scottie, who deftly connected it to his computer, tapped a few buttons on his laptop, then nodded slowly at Steve.

"You're on speaker phone." Steve announced. "Team Two and Morris are with me."

"Thank god." Harper breathed. "Please tell me you have a location on me." Steve looked to Scottie, who held up two fingers and turned to his computer.

"We'll have one soon." Steve promised.

"Fantastic. So…what do I do in the meantime?" She asked. "Just, hold tight and wait till you guys make your grand entrance?"

Steve winced. "Harp…" He said slowly.

"I don't like that tone of voice," Harper's voice deepened with worry. "What's wrong?"

Steve rubbed his face wearily. "Even after we get your location, we have no way to get to you…not in time."

Harper was silent for a long moment.

"I don't understand." She said shortly. "What does that mean?"

"It means that the only one of us who can actually fly is unconscious and won't be waking up anytime soon." Scottie shook his head slowly.

"It means even when we know where you are, by the time we got any sort of transportation and were on our way, you would've disappeared again." Will added.

"It means we are useless, and you've got to save yourself." Avery huffed.

"It means," Steve sighed, "It means that you'll have to go violet."

The other end of the line was silent, then Harper's breathimg slowly increased.

"I can't," she said softly.

"You have to." Morris spoke up regretfully, and Harper laughed hysterically.

"No, you don't understand, I CAN'T," Harper insisted. "I know I've been training really hard, but I haven't got full control yet, Loki's always there, he helps ground me, and he told me I wasn't ready to go violet solo; that I would lose myself to the feral and this time I might not be able to come back. I can't go Violet….. I can't."

Steve closed his eyes, thinking.

"Well, maybe you're more ready than Loki thinks you are?" Will tried, scrambling. "Maybe you CAN handle going violet."

"I highly doubt that." Harper said sarcastically, and Will winced.

"What is she supposed to do if she can't go violet?" Morris muttered worriedly.

Steve's eyes snapped open. "She doesn't have to." He said breathlessly.

"Doesn't have to what?" Morris asked, confused.

"Sweetheart," Steve spoke louder, urgently. "You don't have to go violet."

"Well that's good, because I can't." Harper snapped.

Steve laughed. "No, you're not listening….Harper, you're a superhero."

"Not right now I'm not." She retorted.

"But that's the thing," Steve spoke eagerly. "You ARE. Being able to go violet and your DNA change doesn't make you a superhero…you've been one the whole time."

"Really?" Harper asked skeptically. "Me and what powers?"

"You don't need powers." Steve argued. "You never did."

"But they woudn't hurt." Harper admitted, and Steve huffed.

"But you don't need them. Harper; how did you survive with Matthews when you were younger?"

"I shut up, learned what he taught me, and laid low." Harper said bluntly.

"And how did you save that little girl?" Steve pressed.

There was a pause. "I was quiet, I used what I was taught, and I snuck away."

"And when Connors was going to use your serum on Jake?"

Harper huffed. "I took my research and fought my way out."

"And that robber in the coffee shop?" Steve added.

"Fought my way out." Harper answered grudgingly.

"And when Matthews cornered you and Clint on the Helicarrier?"

"I talked my way out." Harper finished.

"Harper." Steve said slowly. "You already know everything you need to know to get out all on your own. You're entire life you've been saving other people, saving yourself. This is no different. I'm saying you don't need to go violet….You need to go Street."

Harper's end of the phone was silent. "Scott." She said suddenly. "Give me the coordinates to a dock nearest to you."

Scott turned to the computers. "Texted to your phone." He said after a moment.

"Good. Get to that dock…I'm bringing you a present." Steve and the rest of the group smiled. "Dad?" Harper asked, and Steve's smile widened.

"Yeah?"

"I'll see you at the end of the line." She promised…and then she hung up.

Steve tilted his head. Then he shook himself, and sent the group a grin.

"Looks like we have a dock to get to."

* * *

 **Street**

Harper hung up her phone with a grin.

"Was any of that supposed to make sense?" Saul asked.

"Nope." Harper answered brightly.

"Right…awesome." Saul nodded.

"So how are we getting out of here?" Carly pressed.

Harper looked around the long hallway they sat in, eyes narrowed.

"We're on our own." Harper said finally. "But that's not a bad thing."

"Uhhh, how is that NOT a bad thing?" Harper smirked at Saul's question.

"Because I have a plan." Harper slammed her back against the wall and used the force to help her shimmy so that she was standing up. Then she slammed herself against the wall again, the wall banging with the force of her smacking.

"Make as much noise as you can." She whispered urgently, and after a moment, Saul started to hit the wall as well. Carly rolled her eyes, but began to do the same. And somehow sensing that they seemed to know something no one else did, the others that were tied up slowly began to join in.

After a few minutes a bald headed man with an angry expression on his face burst into the room. He moved straight for Harper, who stared back defiantly.

"Sit down!" The man barked. "And shut up."

"Make me baldie!" Harper shouted back, and with a growl, the man pulled out a knife and lunged for her.

Harper bent over and rammed her head into his stomach, and he dropped the knife with an oomph. It landed by Carly's hand, and she grabbed it and motioned for Saul to sit back to back with her. She worked through both their bonds as Harper grabbled with the tall man.

Harper was thrown into the wall, nearly falling, but a few hostages helped her stay upright, and she was ready when the man lunged forward again.

Saul, having cut through his bindings, grabbed onto the back of the mans shirt and pulled him away from Harper, and Carly hurried forward to cut Harper free.

Harper caught Saul's eye and jerked her head, and he stepped back, allowing Harper to slam the man's head into the wall and then kick his legs out from underneath him. Then man threw out both hands to catch himself on the floor, and Harper neatly slid the knife under the man's chin.

"Don't move, and talk quickly." Harper hissed.

The man's eyes narrowed into slits. "What do you want, filth?"

"How many men are on board?" She demanded.

The man said nothing, and the edge of the knife dug into the man's neck. He hissed.

"About 100."

"And hostages?"

"You mean human garbage?" The man retorted and Harper growled and a thin trickle of blood appeared on the man's neck.

"I mean hostages. How many?" She bit out, and the man made a face. "Just this roomful." He finally admitted.

Harper nodded slowly, then slammed the guys head against the wall. He went unconscious and Harper let the body fall to the ground.

"Alright." Harper turned to address the room, Carly and Saul, her unlikely allies, flanking her.

Harper opened her mouth, then froze. What was she supposed to say to these people?

"Say something inspiring." Carly hissed.

"Right, I'm working on it." Harper hissed back.

"Work faster." Saul hissed as well.

Harper shot him a look, then a thought struck. "Wait." She grinned. "I got it."

"Garbage."

Harper paused.

"…That's it?" A man standing against the side of the wall blurt out. His cap was pulled low over his face. "That's all you've got? That we're garbage?"

"Exactly!" Harper pointed at the man excitedly.

Murmurs of dissent began to reverberate around the room, and Harper shook her head quickly.

"No!" She grimaced. "What I mean is…. I didn't say you were garbage. I just said the word garbage. You," Harper looked at the man, "You're the one who inferred I was calling you garbage. Why would you automatically assume that's what I was going to say? Becaues that's what you think of yourself?" She guessed.

The murmurs of dissent silenced, and Harper shot the room a look.

"You're not garbage." She said softly. "None of you are. You're not what others think of you, you're not what you think of you."

"So then…what are we?" A young woman with big blue eyes asked.

Harper smiled.

"You're New Yorkers. Straight from the island of Manhattan, you're the ones who never stop going, never give up, and do what you have to in order to survive. You don't have a house. The city is your home! You're without family? Look around you! You're surrounded by kindred spirits, by those who've been where you've been, who stand where you are. You're not alone, you're not homeless, and you're not worthless."

"We're…New Yorkers?" The woman with the big blue eyes began to smile.

"Exactly." Harper nodded. "When we have nothing, we have New York. And how dare THEY," Harper's voice went deep with anger, "How dare THEY try and take that from us?! They might not see our worth, and we might not even see it sometimes, but they think they can try and take away our home from us? The one thing we still have? No!" Harper stamped her foot. "I will not stand for it! They think," Harper lowered her voice, and the crowd in front of her leaned forward. "They think they can call us "at risk", and try to remove us from our home? Well I think we show them who exactly is "At Risk!"

The crowd nodded, faces determined, and Harper saw with satisfaction that the man with the cap pulled low over his head now stood upright, arms uncrossed. He was listening. Good. Harper beamed, taking in the room slowly, making eye contact. Then she took a deep breath.

"Who wants to go home?" She asked loudly, and the room burst into cheers.

Harper grinned.

"Well then." She sliced through the ropes of the captives that were closest to her. At her nod they began untying the others.

"Let's turn this boat around."

Most of the captives were either unable or unwilling to fight with Harper and Carly and Saul. But going into the fight, Harper still had a good group of 40 on her side, (including the guy with the hat on). Leaving the other captives to the safety of the large room, she took her team, and fought using the method most comfortable to her…street.

Forty transients grabbed pipes and tools and whatever was handy and went up against 100 trained, armed men.

…And they won.

The fight was dirty, but the transients had surprise on their side. Who would've thought that a group with nothing to their name would find the will to fight back?

The trained men went down quickly, too surprised to do much more than gape in shock. And then the transients…no, the New Yorkers, were in charge.

The captives watched silently, waiting for Harper's verdict. Her face was dirty, her hair a rat's nest, her clothes torn. She looked just like everyone else, face grim.

Then a slow smile crept across her face.

The room roared and clapped, and Harper shook her head, still smiling widely.

"Okay, but we do have a problem." She said after a moment. The room went silent.

Harper smiled sheepishly. "Anyone know how to drive a boat?"

* * *

 **Safe**

"Steve, if you don't stop pacing, I'm going to staple your feet to the floor."

"I second that. Dude, we're all worried,"

"Except for Dave; who's still unconscious."

"Avery." Will shot his teammate a look. "Shut up."

"Sorry." Avery slumped against the side of the building, and sent Will a sheepish look. "I'm just worried."

"We all are, kid." Morris moved next to Avery with a sigh. Steve thumped his head against the radio controls. Scott scanned the small office located a few feet from the dock, at the somber faces, and looked down at his phone, grimacing.

When the phone began to ring, everyone jumped. Scott looked confused down at his still blank screen.

"Shut up, shut up!" Steve ordered frantically, bringing the phone to his ear. "Hello?!"

When Steve sagged in relief, the rest of the room did the same.

"You're safe?" Steve demanded. "You're okay?" Though they couldn't hear the answers, Steve's smile was answer enough. His fierce frown had everyone pause.

"You're where?" He shook his head. "How are we supposed to get to Washington D.C.?!"

"Well…maybe we can help with that." Steve and the others turned at the sound of the new voice.

Clint raised his eyebrows. "I know we were on vacation," He shared a look with the people at his side, Tasha, Thor, Loki, and a very tanned Tony. "But you could've called us if you needed us."

"Ah…we actually didn't need you." Will said proudly.

"But…" Steve grinned bashfully. "We do need a ride."

"Now that," Clint grinned. "Is something we can do."

Steve turned slightly. "Harp? See you soon."

* * *

 **Reunion**

Steve and Morris were the first off the plane, running towards the large ship docked fifty feet away, frantically searching the crowd.

Morris saw her first.

She was a mess, grinning brightly and laughing, shoving a tall young man at her side and rolling her eyes in tandem with an equally dirty Carly. Morris grabbed Steve's arm and whistled loudly.

Harper's head whipped around, and she caught eyes immediately with Steve. Like two magnets, they began to approach each other, slowly gaining speed until they were collapsing in each other's arms.

Morris watched the two fondly for a moment. Then he gave the two some time and stepped towards the beautiful women he'd been in love with in high school. And for the first time since he'd found her on the streets, she didn't run from him. Instead…she smiled.

One second Harper was making fun of Saul, and the next she caught sight of Steve, and then she was in his arms, her hands around his waist. Steve hand one hand around Harper's lower back and the other fisted in her hair.

"Never." He hissed eyes bright. "Never scare me like that again!"

"No promises." Harper grinned, eyes equally bright. "But I'll do my best!"

"Good." Steve pulled her forward into his arms again.

"Are you ever going to let me go?" Harper asked, voice muffled as her face was buried in Steve's chest.

Steve thought about it…then he shook his head. "Nope."

"I'm never letting you go again."

* * *

 **The End!**

 **Much love to you all, thanks for sticking with me so long!**

 **~CLC~**


	20. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own any of characters depicted below that you may recognize...they belong to forces higher then me, and I respect them and applaud them for their beautiful creations.**

* * *

 _One Year Later_

"Hi, What can I get for you?"

"Two black coffees, A venti sweet iced tea, A venti vanilla latte, and three Large white mochas, all iced. Oh, and an iced Americano."

Harper smirked at her own joke, reaching into her jacket pocket for her wallet.

"Is this a work coffee run?" The young woman behind the register asked lightly.

"No…" Harper tilted her head. "It's a friend reunion."

"Like a family reunion?" The cashier furrowed her brow as she accepted Harper's payment.

"Kind of." Harper grinned. "I just got back into town, and I'm meeting up with all the people I've missed."

"Overseas?" The Cashier guessed, eyeing Harper's uniform.

"Yep." Harper grinned. "I come from a long line of soldiers." She shrugged.

"You're dad?" Harper nodded.

"One of them." The young woman, Judy, her nametag said, raised an eyebrow slightly. "My other dad is law enforcement, and the rest of our family fights crime."

Judy nodded slowly and went silent.

"Fights crime like Captain America? And Team Two?" Harper turned to smile down at a young boy not more than three years old.

She leaned down. "Exactly like them." She looked around the café furtively, then leaned forward. "You want to hear a secret?"

The little boy nodded his head furiously.

"Captain America…is my dad." The little boy's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in shock.

"Is he why you became a soldier?" The little boy asked. Harper stood and reached for her drink, the others not ready yet, thinking that question over.

"Yeah." She said finally. "That's why."

Her phone rang, and sending the little boy a final smile, she moved away to answer her phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey squirt! Where are you? Your goddaughter wants to meet you?!"

"My Goddaughter was only conceived like three months ago." Harper snorted. "Try again Tony."

Tony on the other end of the phone, sighed heavily. "Fine. Both your dads have arrived girlfriends in tow, and I'm still haven't decided which one I'm going to bet on."

Harper snorted. "Bet on for what?"

"For who's going to propose first!" Tony huffed.

"Oh, Morry, definitely." Harper chose immediately. "Dad's either going to wait until tonight sometime to do it in private and then announce it, or he'll wait for another day so it's special."

"Oh." Tony went silent. "You're good."

"What can I say." Harper grinned. "I know my father. Is everyone else there?"

"Yep. Team Two is gracing us with their presence, and they've all brought dates, I'll have you know. Clint's here with his whole family, which I still can't BELIEVE,"

"Dude, it's been years." Harper interrupted. "He has a family, get over it."

"Never." Tony vowed. "Thor and Loki are here too, and they've BOTH brought dates. So you better not show up alone."

Harper's gaze caught on a lone figure seated in the corner of the coffee shop, a half eaten bagel at his elbow, and a cap pulled low over his eyes. The man wore a large jacket and gloves, and though he worked on a crossword with his right hand, he seemed to favor his left.

It was the hat that gave him away.

"Oh…I don't think I'll be showing up alone." She guessed, smiling as the man looked up and caught her staring at him. She inclined her head. After a moment, the man sent a slow nod back.

"Well….don't pick up a random stranger either." Tony warned.

Harper grinned. "No promises." She retorted, ending the phone call before Tony could retort. The man stood and made his way out the door, and after retrieving all of her drinks, she followed him out.

He was walking away, head down, but Harper caught up quickly.

"Hey!" She called out, and the man stopped, turning slowly.

"Long time no see." She said as soon as she got close.

The man smirked slightly, then looked away.

"I know I'm hilarious." Harper grinned. "Aren't you going to ask me where I know you from?"

"I'm afraid to ask." He admitted.

Harper couldn't help herself. She laughed.

"Well, I won't keep you in suspense. I know you were on that boat." The man's stiff shoulders relaxed.

Harper watched him closely. "And I know you fell off a mountain 75 years ago and lost your arm."

Bucky, for that's who it was obviously, turned to face her, eyes wide.

"And I know someone who would really like to see you." She waited, while Bucky struggled internally.

"The iced Americano is for him?" Bucky bit out.

Harper beamed. "Exactly! I'm off to deliver it right now." Harper shrugged. "Why don't you come with me?"

Bucky's eyebrow raised.

"Don't you know you shouldn't pick up random people at coffee shops?" He chastised.

Harper smirked, and started walking. Bucky, after a moment, fell in step with her.

"Actually," Harper confided, laughing at the irony.

"Picking up people at Coffee shops is kind of a family tradition."

* * *

 **And so we end out story where it first began!**

 **~CLC~**


End file.
